Over the weekend, one of our National Trust Historic Sites – the African Meeting House in Nantucket, Massachusetts – was the victim of a reprehensible act of vandalism. The 1827 building, which has served as a church, school, and gathering place, was defaced overnight with obscene graffiti and a racist slur, directed at an African American community which has called Nantucket home for more than three centuries.

We at the National Trust condemn this horrible act, and we are reaching out to show our immediate support by donating $15,000 to the Museum of African American History’s education and restoration project at the African Meeting House in Nantucket. We hope you will join us in showing your support for this one-of-a-kind Nantucket treasure by making a contribution to the Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket.

The National Trust envisions a world where everyone sees their story reflected in the landscape. That is one of the many reasons why we recently created the multi-million dollar African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund: to celebrate the achievements and activism of all our citizens, including those who have too often been overlooked.

We are proud to stand alongside the people of Nantucket and others from around the country and the world who have come together since Saturday and rallied to support the African Meeting House. Please join us in showing your support for the African Meeting House however you can, and thank you for being part of our family.

Stephanie Meeks
President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation