The First Baptist Church of Venice located at 685 Westminster Ave. in Venice, CA has a historic legacy in the Venice Community. According to the First Annual Report recorded January 02, 1914 African American residents came together to develop a worship place of their own on July 17, 1910.. a mere 45 years after slavery was abolished. Although the group met in various places at that time, the original church edifice was built in 1927 across the street from the current edifice. That land was donated by Arthur Reese, a black man and seminal figure in Venice, CA history. Arthur Reese came to California seeking refuge for himself and his family from the remnants of slavery in hopes of building a better life. A very remarkable accomplishment considering this was an era of restrictive covenants and the Klu Klux Klan highly active in political and institutional leadership in West Los Angeles.
In the early 1960s the congregation outgrew the small church (located on the opposite side of the current edifice) so they gathered together to build a new church. Through the personal commitment of funds, semi-skilled and skilled labor and other support services from the community, the current church at 685 Westminster was completed. The congregation took occupancy of their new church in May of 1968. The church properties consist of 7 lots which comprise the ceremonially dedicated corner called E.L. Holmes Square was purchased by families who put up their land trust to purchase the property back in 1910.
Today the Church is in trouble. Without the knowledge of the community the Church was fraudulently sold by “Bishop” Horace Allen in 2017 and unless we can delay forces in action, it will become an 11,700 square foot, single family residence for millionaire Jay Penske. Not only will this historic building be transformed into someone’s home, but the legacy, the contributions, the meaningfulness and the 111 year connectivity and significance to the community will be eradicated. [ Update: Jay Penske and wife Elaine Irwin now plan to build townhouses over the historic properties]
The vision for the First Baptist Church of Venice is to continue to maintain it as a community space that functions as an empowering center of healing, knowledge, and empowerment and to formally recognize it as a Historic Cultural Monument. The ideas include a library, museum, garden , and keeping the church edifice as a spiritual/communal gathering place for all Venetians and all people. The First Baptist Church of Venice represents the resilience and essence of the courageous African Americans coming to Venice to escape Jim Crow and extreme racism dynamics of the South. Within only a few decades after the emancipation proclamation, and with meager means, they transformed the desolate swamp land they were relegated to into a livable, prosperous, community.
FBCV /El Holmes Square is the living symbol of this struggle, resilience, love, vision, and transformation. It is and has always been a spiritual beacon at the crossroads of the historic African American community in Venice and must be preserved as such.
We are currently in the process of establishing ourselves a Community Land Trust (CLT) with the intention of retaining ownership of the Church & its land to ensure that it remains in community possession in perpetuity. The purpose of this CLT is to benefit all people and visitors to the neighborhood and to preserve Black and Indigenous land and spaces which in turn positively affects racial and economic justice. Through this land use model the community will steward the land and achieve equity.
Tell them Designate the First Baptist Church space as a landmark and No Mansionization in Oakwood in whatever terms you prefer.
Email: [email protected]
Reference these numbers in the title.
Case N0# DIR-2017-1895-CDP-MEL
CEQA No# ENV-2017-1896-CE
Contact Mike Bonin, tell him to keep his word and continue on the path set by Ruth Galanter to designate First Baptist Church of Venice as a historical landmark. Respect Black History in Venice !
213-473-7011
[email protected]
[email protected]
cc: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/MikeBoninCD11
We meet every Sunday from 1pm-3pm at the First Baptist Church (685 Westminster Ave. Venice 90291) to bring attention to this important community issue to gather and organize in a spiritual way. All spirituality and worldviews welcomed to join us.
