In 2023, the League received a grant from the Northern NY Community Foundation to hire a summer intern to research the history of the Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church in Watertown. From May until August, Barb Tucker, an Empire State University Public History student and volunteer at the Jefferson County Historical Society, worked to conduct oral history interviews and compile documents relating to the social history of Thomas Memorial.
Read MoreWith the official public announcement of the 2024 Preserving Black Churches Grants on January 15, the Friends of Thomas Memorial are proud to share that Thomas Memorial AME Zion Church has received $100,000 in funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Read MoreThomas Memorial AME Zion Church in Watertown is one of the League’s Seven to Save sites for 2022-2023. The small African American Church has been without an active congregation since 2012, but a grassroots coalition has sprung up to save this important part of Adirondack history. Led by former Watertown resident Shameika Ingram of Preservation in Color, this working group is actively seeking ways to return the church to active use and be a benefit for its community and an inspiration for people in the region and beyond.
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