Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church has been awarded a $500,000 grant to help with repairs and restoration of the church. The grant was part of the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Program, which awarded $7.5 million to 39 different projects in 20 states.

Brown Chapel’s place in Selma’s history and in American history is cemented, but the members of the seven-person Historic Brown Chapel A.M.E. Preservation Society Inc. knew that it needed some work. That’s why they applied for the grant in September and then waited nervously to find out whether or not they’d get the money they need.

We’re thankful they did.

It’s not as if the church is falling apart. From the outside, it looks great for a church that is a century old, but any building that has stood that long still needs regular repairs.

Juanda Maxwell, who is part of the church’s preservation society, said that the money will go toward the church’s electrical system, roofing as well as fixing the balcony. She hopes there’s also money left over to renovate the outside covering of the windows, as well as other projects.

The church, which served as the starting point for the Selma to Montgomery marches, serves as one of the biggest parts of Selma’s history and in the history of civil rights. Many tourists stop there on their way through Selma, just so they too can take a look at a place where so much history was made.

We’re glad that the church is getting the money it needs for renovations. It’s important that the history that happened within it is preserved for hundreds of years to come.