NAACP STATEMENT ON BLACK CHURCH BURNINGS IN THE SOUTH

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, made the following statement in response to recent outbreak of Black church burnings:

“What is happening in Tennessee and Louisiana is domestic terrorism and we must not turn a blind eye to any incident where people are targeted because of the color of their skin or their faith. The spike in church burnings in Southern states is a reflection of the emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country. But this is nothing new. For decades, African American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community. As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been the targets of violence. The NAACP stands vigilant to ensure that authorities conduct full investigations.”

Arson reported at Virginia church with historical African American roots

A fire at a Northern Virginia church with historical roots in the African American community was deliberately set, authorities said Friday.

The fire was reported Oct. 22 at the Grace Annex United Methodist Church in Purcellville, said Laura Rinehart , a spokeswoman for the Loudoun County fire department.

In a statement released to the media, Rinehart said fire investigators had determined that the fire was “incendiary in nature.”

It remains under investigation, she said.

According to the statement, the early-morning fire caused a minimal amount of damage to the structure, and did not impede church operations.

Available historical information traces the roots of the church, in part, to a 19th-century congregation of Freedmen and Quakers that was established in the Lincoln area of Loudoun.

That church was described as one of the first black churches permitted by law in Loudoun.

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Fire at black church in North Carolina ruled arson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Investigator say an arsonist is to blame for a fire which caused a quarter-million dollars in damage to a Charlotte church.