Landmarking Update – Church of the Epiphany is Posted for Public Comment
More good news! Starting today, December 26, 2023, the National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of the Black Panther Party’s history in relation to the Church of the Epiphany.
This is the first property to be added to the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party’s Thematic Listing in the National Register of Historic Places. After the comment period ends on January 10, 2024, we expect the final decision from the National Park Service. Thank you for your years of support in making this possible!
Email the National Park Service in Support of This Amendment
Please email your support of this amendment by January 10, 2024.
EMAIL ADDRESS: National_Register_Submissions@nps.gov
SUBJECT LINE: Public Comment on Church of the Epiphany (Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party MPS), Cook County, Illinois
SAMPLE MESSAGE OF SUPPORT: I support amending the Church of the Epiphany listing to add the significant history of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Photo: Andrew Jameson
“The People’s Church,” 201 S. Ashland, was built in 1885 and became a landmark in 1998 on the National Register of Historic Places for its stunning Romanesque architecture. Its current period of significance is 1885-1887.
It is now the Epiphany Center for the Arts and a beautiful home to art, live music, weddings, and other events.
Owners David Chase and Kimberly Rachal Support Amendment
We are very pleased to have the support of founders and owners David Chase and his wife Kimberly Rachal.
Learn More About the History of the People’s Church
Reverend Rempfer Whitehouse
Under the leadership of Reverend Rempfer Whitehouse, the church addressed controversial issues and was very involved in the surrounding community. Examples include anti-draft meetings, feeding the homeless, and becoming a major meeting place for the Illinois Chapter.
Reverend Whitehouse led the church for 25 years and passed away in 2014.
Photos: (top left) Homeless men at the Church of the Epiphany, April 10, 1948, ST-17501042-E1, Chicago Sun-Times collection, Chicago History Museum
Speakers and audience at an anti-draft meeting, January 14, 1968, ST-15001631-0002, ST-15001631-0027, ST-15001631-0018 Chicago Sun-Times collection, Chicago History Museum
The Historical Preservation Society is seeking to expand the period of significance from 1885-1887 to include 1968-1974 and to add the social and ethnic history of the Party to the listing.
Photo: April 12, 1970, Duane Hall, ST-19030996-0016, Chicago Sun-Times collection, Chicago History Museum
April 12, 1970: Chicago public school students participate in a rally at the People’s Church organized by the Black Panther Party to protest racism in schools and the imprisonment of Bobby Seale after spending the afternoon at the Civic Center Plaza (Richard J. Daley Center).
Photos: (left) Illinois Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton at the People’s Church in 1969, screenshot from The Murder of Fred Hampton documentary.
(right) Photographer: Walter Kale, Chicago Tribune. On December 6, 1969, two days after Chairman Fred and Defense Captain Mark Clark were assassinated by the FBI and Chicago Police, the Illinois Chapter held a rally and press conference at the People’s Church.
Members of the Illinois Chapter listen to Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton at a meeting at the People’s Church in January 1969. Photo: Paul Sequeira/Getty Images
Illinois Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton at the People’s Church in 1969, screenshot from The Murder of Fred Hampton documentary.
On December 3, 1969, Illinois Chapter members came in from around the state, including Defense Captain Mark Clark from Peoria. Police repression was severe, the Party had been infiltrated and set up for multiple crimes, and Chairman Fred had to turn himself in.
During the trial for that old 1968 ice cream robbery that haunted him for the rest of his days, where a police officer pointed him out as the culprit who stole $71 worth of ice cream and then gave it to the children, the prosecution showed there was no limit to what they would do to lock him up when they flew the former ice cream truck driver into Chicago after plucking him out of the Vietnam War. Hampton denied the charge and was out on bond. With a guilty verdict, he now had to serve time.
At his last meeting, Hampton raised bail money for members arrested the night before. After the meeting, they needed to continue talking and went to the panther crib he rented at 2337 W. Monroe to decide their next moves. Should he turn himself in? Should he flee to Canada and then Cuba?
Because J. Edgar Hoover was of the opinion that a stint in jail would make Hampton a hero as it did Minister Huey, Hampton did not get a chance to flee. Instead, Hoover and Roy Mitchell of the FBI elected to drug and assassinate him on December 4, 1969, a few hours after his last meeting at the People’s Church.
Photo: John White, Chicago Sun-Times, ST-19020329-0022, Chicago Sun-Times collection, Chicago History Museum
After Chairman Fred and Defense Captain Mark Clark were assassinated by the FBI and Chicago Police, the Illinois Chapter held a rally and press conference at the People’s Church, disputing police claims that the Party opened fire on officers. Later investigations revealed that the FBI and Chicago police colluded to assassinate Fred Hampton to quell the Black Panther Party movement.
Omowale Babatunde
On August 1, 1970, Illinois Deputy Minister of Defense Bobby Rush and Chief of Staff David Hilliard spoke at the Church of the Epiphany following the death of Omowale Babatunde (a.k.a. Clifton Morgan).
Omowale was one of the ILBPP’s best organizers whose body was found on July 27, 1970, just outside of the city next to Illinois Central Railroad tracks. He had been in Downstate Illinois establishing the National Committee to Combat Fascism (N.C.C.F.) He was 26 years old.
The authorities said he had accidentally blown himself up either carrying or trying to detonate a bomb. Babatunde said the FBI had threatened him, and, in another incident, he was driving in his car with his pregnant wife when one of his tires came off.
Photo: Leila Wills, original speaker’s podium and church interior.
Email the National Park Service in Support of This Amendment
The National Park Service is soliciting electronic comments on the significance of the Black Panther Party’s history in relation to the Church of the Epiphany. We seek to add the Party’s history to the church’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Please email your support of this amendment by January 10, 2024.
EMAIL ADDRESS: National_Register_Submissions@nps.gov
SUBJECT LINE: Public Comment on Church of the Epiphany (Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party MPS), Cook County, Illinois
SAMPLE MESSAGE OF SUPPORT: I support amending the Church of the Epiphany listing to add the significant history of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Please email your support of this amendment by January 10, 2024.
Open House at The People’s Church
Epiphany Center for the Arts Owners David and Kimberly Rachal have invited us to have an open house for the Illinois Chapter and the Historical Preservation Society members.
We will plan the event after the listing is confirmed in January!
