Carpenters for Christmas
— Mississippi Freedom Trail —
In October 1964 the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church was destroyed by fire after a Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party rally there led by Fannie Lou Hamer. On December 22 church members and other volunteers, along with Oberlin College students, began rebuilding. On Christmas Day, with four walls erected, a service was held. By January 2 the building was operable again as a church and meeting place for civil rights activities. Antioch was one of almost forty churches burned in Mississippi during a six~month period that year.
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Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, founded by former slaves, was the first black church in Tippah County. Its building was one of almost forty churches burned in Mississippi during a six-month period in 1964. Five students from Oberlin College in Ohio were present at a Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party voter registration rally the night the church was burned. Stunned, they took the news home to Ohio. In response seventeen Oberlin students, along with three faculty members, devised a plan with church members to rebuild, calling themselves Carpenters for Christmas.
Congregations of other burned churches had been offered rebuilding help by local whites, but with the requirement that the black communities not use rebuilt churches as centers for voter registration
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Between December 22 and Christmas Day, the team completed the foundation and
erected four walls, in time for Christmas services led by the church's pastor, the Rev. John R. McDonald, and featuring a scripture reading by Cleveland Sellers, local COFO project director. The remaining walls, roof, and steeple were completed before the end of the Christmas vacation. On December 30, Mrs. Annie Devine addressed a Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party rally at the reconstructed church, attended by the volunteer carpenters and more than 200 members from the community,
Erected 2014 by the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division. (Marker Number 17.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the Mississippi Freedom Trail series list. A significant historical date for this entry is January 2, 1964.
Location. 34° 38.713′ N, 88° 58.435′ W. Marker is unreadable. Marker is near Blue Mountain, Mississippi, in Tippah County. Marker is on County Road 700, 0.4 miles north of County Road 725, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3651 Co Rd 700, Blue Mountain MS 38610, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this location
Credits. This page was last revised on April 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 199 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 24, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Clear photo of the reverse side of marker. • Can you help?
