Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, we would occasionally drive by a church on the corner of University Avenue and 14th street. Each time, my dad would say, “That was your grandparents’ first church in Des Moines.” My grandmother passed away in 2008, and my grandfather in 2017. I wish I’d asked them more questions while they were still here.
The Church has always been the cornerstone of Black communities. The Church is a place where people have gathered to celebrate, grieve and support one another. The Church is where our stories are rooted and where we will find our history.
Thank you for joining us in our journey researching Iowa’s Black churches.
