Live Breaking News & Updates on Naomi Nightingale

Stay updated with breaking news from Naomi nightingale. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.

Rolling Stone's publisher planned to convert a Black church into his home, but residents fought back to preserve it


LOS ANGELES (RNS) On a recent Sunday, about 10 people sat outside the steps of the boarded-up First Baptist Church of Venice, a century-old congregation that, to many, remains a symbol of the thriving Black population that once existed in the seaside town of Los Angeles.
They discussed potential uses for the church that would benefit the community. It could reopen as a library to highlight the Black history of the Oakwood neighborhood, some suggested. Maybe it could host coding classes for kids or serve as a space for interfaith gatherings. They also shared childhood memories of the church and lamented the forces transforming Venice from a working-class and bohemian artist enclave to a wealthy neighborhood. They bemoaned the new geometric boxed houses lining the streets houses they said feel out of character with the area. ....

United States , First Baptist Church , Los Angeles , Ingrid Mueller , Bishop Elmer Lawrence Holmes , Ben Affleck , Jay Penske , Lydia Ponce , Horace Allen , Sherman Clay , Jon Wolff , George Floyd , Corita Kent , Alejandra Molina , Lee Polster , Naomi Nightingale , Stephanie Serra , Los Angeles City Council , First Baptist Church On , Save First Baptist Church , Penske Media Corporation , Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission , Laddie Williams , Rolling Stone , Elmer Lawrence Holmes , African American ,