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Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ

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Historic site in Chicago, Illinois
Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ
Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ is located in Chicago metropolitan areaRoberts Temple Church of God in ChristLocation of Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago metropolitan area
Location4021 S. State Street, Chicago, Illinois
Founded1916
Built1922
ArchitectEdward G. McClellan

Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ is a Christian house of worship located in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The church was the site of Emmett Till's open-casket funeral in 1955.

The church was designated as a Chicago Landmark in 2005 and was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2020 list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

The Church was designated as part of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument on July 25, 2023.

Establishment

Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ was founded by Elder William Roberts in 1916. Its services were held in various Chicago buildings until 1922 when its permanent building was constructed at 4021 S. State Street.

The church was initially built as a one-story brick structure. A second story was added in 1927. In 1992, a tan brick exterior was added and the sanctuary was renovated.

Funeral of Emmett Till

Mamie Till at Emmett Till's funeral, 1955

In the summer of 1955, Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old African American boy from Chicago was visiting family in Webb, Mississippi. On August 28, Till was abducted, beaten, and lynched by two white men after they accused him of whistling at one of the men's wives.

After Till's murder, his body was returned to Chicago. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, decided that his casket would remain open during his visitation and funeral. She is quoted as saying: "There was just no way I could describe what was in that box. No way. And I just wanted the world to see."

A one-day visitation was held at Rayner Funeral Home on Friday, September 2, 1955. It is said that 5,000 people attended, though accounts vary.

The open-casket funeral was held on September 3 at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ. Roughly 2,000 attendees witnessed the service inside the church with thousands more attending outside. Rev. Isaiah Roberts, pastor of Roberts Temple, presided over the funeral. The eulogy was given by Bishop Louis H. Ford of the St. Paul Church of God in Christ.

Historic designation

The church was named a Chicago landmark in 2005. It was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2020 list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

In March 2021, Senator Tammy Duckworth introduced legislation that would make the church a national monument for its significance to the Civil Rights Movement.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Church where Emmett Till's open casket drew world's attention makes list of endangered historic places". Chicago Sun-Times. 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  2. ^ "Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ Landmark Designation Report" (PDF). 2005.
  3. "A Proclamation on Establishment of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument". The White House. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  4. ^ Voices of freedom : an oral history of the civil rights movement from the 1950s through the 1980s. Henry Hampton, Steve Fayer, Sarah Flynn. New York. 1990. ISBN 0-553-05734-0. OCLC 20628084.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. "The Legacy of Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley | National Trust for Historic Preservation". savingplaces.org. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  6. "Bill establishing Chicago's Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ as a National Monument introduced to Senate". The Architect’s Newspaper. 2021-03-17. Retrieved 2022-11-11.

41°49′16″N 87°37′34″W / 41.82124°N 87.62602°W / 41.82124; -87.62602

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