Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on Sunday launched a $7.5 million fundraising campaign aimed at maintaining and renovating historic buildings.

The effort also seeks to promote the story of the church where four Black girls were killed in a bombing on Sept. 15, 1963, a turning point in the civil rights movement.

“The 16th Street Baptist Church has played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, reminding us of the struggles and sacrifices endured for equality,” said Pastor Arthur Price Jr. “Donating to the $7.5 million capital campaign is a way to honor that legacy and further the fight for social justice.”

The church, designed by Black architect Wallace Rayfield, served as an organizing and meeting place for the civil rights movement in Birmingham, which made it a target of the Ku Klux Klan.

Funds raised will go to preserving its historic buildings, constructing a state-of-the-art visitors and educational center, and supporting essential social justice programming.

“We see this as a part of our mission, to really serve the community and serve Birmingham, but even larger than Birmingham, to serve the United States and the world,” said Theodore Debro, chair of the fundraising campaign.

A significant portion of the funds will be dedicated to constructing a modern, spacious, and technologically advanced visitors’ and educational center. This facility will serve as a resource for scholars, students, and tourists, allowing people to delve deeper into the rich history of the church and the civil rights movement.

The campaign will also contribute to funding social justice programming that aligns with the church’s mission. This initiative aims to create forums, workshops, and events that address and engage with pressing social justice issues.

“We are able to tell a larger story,” Debro said. “We’ll be able to assemble people to talk more about social justice and inequities and get people motivated to go out and make a difference in this world.”

For more information on how to contribute or to learn more about the campaign, please visit www.16thStreetBaptistChurch/Campaign.org or call 205.251.9402.

“Whether you can give $10, $100 or $1,000 or more, you should make a contribution to this church to make sure it’s still here to be that symbol of Birmingham,” Debro said.