| AME Zion Church..Historic Treasure In Civil Rights History |
 Located at 657 South Holt Street, the Mt. Zion AME Zion Church a historic treasure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. On the afternoon of December 5, the first full day of the boycott Mount Zion’s pastor, Rev. L. Bennett, who was also President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, hosted a meeting of local community leaders. These individuals, meeting in the fellowship hall of Mount Zion Church, founded and organized the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). A young Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was elected President and Rev. Bennett was elected Vice-President. In 1965, participants in the Selma to Montgomery Voters’ Rights March gathered for rest and refreshments in the fellowship hall of Mount Zion. Those events got the attention of Hollywood, which made the church a backdrop for the 1990 movie "The Long Walk Home", starring Whoopi Goldberg. But after the Mt. Zion congregation moved and sold the church building, it faced a rapid decline.  On May 2, 2003 the Mount Zion Center Foundation, Inc was organized to perform renovations and alterations needed to complete the restoration of historic Mount Zion A.M.E. Zion Church Memorial Annex. This includes completion of interior finishes to the extent necessary to occupy the building providing all aesthetic and safety features needed in a publically accessible building and improving exterior areas as needed for convenient access and security purposes.  In recent years, C.P. Everett has led a campaign to restore the church to how it looked in 1955. More than $1 million has been raised through grants and private donations to do the work. But he thinks $700,000 more will be needed to complete the job, hopefully by 2015 so it can open to those interested in learning more about its history. If you are interesting in contributing or finding out more about the project please contact: Mount Zion Center Foundation, Inc. Phone: 334-265-9361 Fax: 334-269-2806 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Website: www.mzcfinc.org |
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