This article was updated on June 27, 2025, at 9:10 a.m.
Democratic U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock announced Wednesday that they are reintroducing legislation to have Atlanta’s West Hunter Street Baptist Church acknowledged as a National Historic Site.
Established in 1881 and located on its current West End property since 1972, the lawmakers are working to preserve the church’s former location at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Vine City.
Warnock and Ossoff say that passing the bill would be a continued push to protect the church’s legacy. Additionally, it would help preserve the legacy of activist and minister Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy.
Referred to as “a titan of the civil rights movement” by Ossoff, Abernathy served as pastor at West Hunter Street for nearly three decades. According to Warnock, the minister’s long-serving tenure with the church highlights its significance in the Civil Rights Movement.
“As a pastor of Dr. King’s spiritual home, I remain committed to preserving Georgia’s history and uplifting the power of faith in action,” Warnock said in a Wednesday press release.
“On behalf of the Ralph David Abernathy, III Foundation, Inc., and the entire Abernathy family, we are grateful to have this legislation introduced to commemorate the life, contributions, and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, Sr., for his significant role and leadership of the modern-day Civil Rights Movement,” added Annette Abernathy, President of the Ralph David Abernathy III Foundation, Inc.”
The bill was originally introduced in 2023 by Democratic legislators and passed through a key Senate Committee.
Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams introduced the companion bill for historic preservation to the House, co-leading with fellow Georgia U.S. Reps. Hank Johnson and Republican Rep. Austin Scott.
“We must honor Reverend Abernathy’s legacy of activism by preserving West Hunter Street Baptist Church, the church he led during the civil rights movement,” Williams said in an April press release. “As conservatives across the country attempt to erase Black history altogether, preserving Black history has never been more urgent.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the location of the property that lawmakers are trying to establish as a National Historic Site. They are trying to preserve the West Hunter Street Baptist’s former location at 775 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Vine City. The story and photo have been updated to reflect that.
