BIRMINGHAM - In response to the rash of Black Belt church fires in recent days, U.S. Representative Artur Davis (D-Birmingham) is scheduled to visit the churches most recently damaged or destroyed by arsonist attacks today.  All four churches struck Monday night are in Alabama's 7^th Congressional District.

A press availability is scheduled for today, February 10 at 12:45 p.m. at the site of the Morning Star Baptist Church in Boligee.  A representative from the Department of Housing and Urban Development is scheduled to join Davis in Boligee to provide information about government resources available to these churches to aid in their reconstruction.

Four African-American Baptist churches in west Alabama were attacked in the middle of the night Monday.  Two of the churches were completely destroyed while two others received minor damage.  Davis, Alabama’s only African American member of Congress, is scheduled to survey the damage at all four churches while speaking with pastors and members of the community about the road to recovery.

Ten years ago, Congress passed the Church Arson Prevention Act after more than 400 churches were burned across the southeast.  Three of those churches were in Boligee, and all were predominately black. 

Congressman Davis Church Fire Site Visit Schedule

12:30 p.m.            Morning Star Baptist Church – Boligee

  1:30 p.m.            Spring Valley Missionary Baptist Church - Gainesville

  2:30 p.m.            Galilee Baptist Church - Panola

  3:30 p.m.            Dancy First Baptist - Dancy

For more information on this event, contact Corey Ealons at 202-812-1061.

www.house.gov/arturdavis

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