The Philadelphia Historical Commission voted on Friday morning to add First African Baptist Church to the local register of historic places.
Immediately after the vote, the church’s pastor, Terrence Griffith, who also heads the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, vowed to use all his political influence to push for changes at the Commission — both its membership and its policies. Griffith, who opposed historic designation and wants to sell the building to developers, said it’s unfair that anyone can nominate a building for historic protection, with or without the owner’s consent.
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