The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund announced $3 million in preservation funding to protect 24 Black historic sites across the U.S. — including Colored Knights of Pythias in Indianapolis.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a National Trust for Historic Preservation program, announced the list of historic sites to receive grants on July 22. The grants will be awarded by the Action Fund’s National Grant Program (NGP), Descendant and Family Stewardship Initiative (DFS) and Conserving Black Modernism program (CBM), according to a press release.
“At the Action Fund, we believe everyone can be a preservationist,” Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and senior vice president of National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement. “Grants that support the physical preservation and management of these incredible places are crucial to keeping our nation’s history alive. We hope this investment will further empower these communities to be leaders in this important effort.”
Currently serving in its inaugural year, the DFS program “empowers Black families and descendants to lead preservation of heritage sites, expanding equity and justice in the field,” according to a press release. Supported by a $5.2 million investment from the Mellon Foundation, the program will also provide two years of consultative support to preserve, active and manage historic places.
The first DFS cohort includes seven projects to receive $1.4 million in grants collectively — from the homes of legendary Black artists to sites of Civil Rights Movement history, according to a press release.
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The Action Fund’s announcement also features a third round of Conserving Black Modernism grants, which are designed to “protect and promote the work of African American architects and designers.” This cohort includes Los Angeles’ Founders Church of Religious Science, designed by legendary Black architect Paul R. Williams, and four other sites that will collectively receive $750,000 in funding through a partnership with the Getty Foundation.
“We are thrilled that this third year of Conserving Black Modernism in collaboration with the National Trust includes five new architects, whose work continues to expand our understanding of the unique contributions of Black architects and designers to the modern movement,” Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation, said in a statement. “It is particularly exciting to have a Los Angeles building designed by Paul R. Williams in the mix this year, as Getty houses the archive of this giant of 20th-century architecture, who created some of the most iconic and beloved buildings in the region.”
For more information about the National Grant Program, the Descendant and Family Stewardship Initiative and Conserving Black Modernism visit savingplaces.org/stories/actionfund2025.
To view list of all 24 grant recipients, visit https://savingplaces.org/stories/actionfund2025.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
