National Park Service Grant for the Rehabilitation of the African Meeting House in Boston

Cooperative Agreement Number H2011100295 is entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Park (NPS) and Museum of African American History, (Museum) to support public programs, education, interpretation, historic preservation, and collections management at the Park.

Boston National Historic Park and the unit known as the Boston African American National Historic Site (BOAF) will partner with the Museum of African American History to preserve the interior of the historic African Meeting House. The Meeting House is one of several historic buildings that compose the Boston African American National Historic Site. The African Meeting House, built in 1806, is the oldest extant African American church building in America and was the political, religious and social center of the free African American community in Boston prior to the Civil War. This National Historic Landmark listed in the enabling legislation for the Boston African American National Historic Site (BOAF) is the primary resource of the site. This project involves an extensive restoration and/or rehabilitation to repair the leaking roof providing access to the upper floors and upgrade of the inadequate heating and cooling and fire suppression systems in the building. This project will meet the objectives of Cooperative Agreement H2011100295 by restoring the 1806 building, and completing the necessary structural work to prevent further erosion of the building’s historic fabric.