LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — A church in Loudon County is in need of major repairs. Hackney Chapel served as a safe place for Black people in the area since 1899 in the rural community of Unitia. It was one of the places they could worship and be buried.
Now, its current members are searching for ways to bring it up to date and keep its legacy alive after time and weather took a toll on the church.
In 2000, Hackney Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. That comes with specific requirements for the repairs and renovations. That’s why the church has a GoFundMe to raise $175,000…