A landmark in Northwest Indiana's African American history has secured new funding to safeguard its heritage.
First Baptist Church in Gary was named one of 15 sites across the state to receive funding from two preservation funds established by the late Standiford "Stan" Cox, Eli Lilly and Co.'s first Black chemist. The church was awarded $15,000 to repair its historic stained-glass windows.
The grant program, administered through Indiana Landmarks and the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), distributes $205,000 statewide to restore essential Black historic sites.
Designed by pioneering Black developer Andrew Means and completed in 1955, First Baptist Church is a vital piece of Gary’s mid-century heritage. For Northwest Indiana, this grant ensures that Means' architectural legacy and the story of Gary’s vibrant African American community are preserved for future generations.
Cox, who died in 2019, created the endowment to ensure places honoring Indiana's African American legacy receive vital maintenance support.
Other grant recipients across Indiana include:
- Allen Chapel AME Church (Indianapolis): $10,000 for a fire suppression system
- Boonville Now (Boonville): $20,000 for roof replacement at Mount Liberty Baptist Church
- Booker T. Washington School (Rushville): $20,000 for masonry and window repairs
- Evansville African American Museum: $15,000 for roof and gutter replacement
- Friends of Town Clock Church (New Albany): $10,000 for accessibility upgrades
- House of Worship for All People (Marion): $15,000 for roof and gutter repairs
- Indiana Landmarks (Marion): $20,000 to restore windows on a 1905 Samuel Plato house
- Olivet AME Church (South Bend): $10,000 for step and window repairs
- Resurrection Community Church (Indianapolis): $15,000 for an HVAC system
- Second Baptist Church (Bloomington): $10,000 for stained-glass window repairs
- Smithfield Baptist Church (Rockport): $15,000 for electrical and plumbing updates
- South Calvary Missionary Baptist Church (Indianapolis): $5,000 for roof repairs
- Union Literary Institute (Randolph County): $20,000 for masonry repairs to the 1860 school
- University United Methodist Church (Indianapolis): $5,000 for window replacements
"Preserving Black history often begins with neighbors and volunteers who recognize that a place matters and commit themselves to saving it,” said Jennifer Bartenbach, CEO of Central Indiana Community Foundation. “They organize, raise funds, build support and continue caring for these sites year after year. As public resources for this work become more limited, philanthropy plays an increasingly important role in helping those efforts move forward. Stan Cox’s generosity helps strengthen that grassroots work, giving communities the resources to protect important places and keep their stories alive for future generations.”
“We’re pleased to serve as a preservation advisor on these grants, which continue the visionary work of Stan Cox to protect Indiana’s Black heritage,” said Mark Dollase, vice president of preservation services at Indiana Landmarks. “The partnership between the Central Indiana Community Foundation and Indiana Landmarks creates a brighter future for these important local landmarks.”
The Standiford H. Cox Fund supports the restoration, preservation, operation, and ongoing maintenance of African American historic sites in Indiana. The Dovie Stewart Cox & Chester A. Cox Sr. Memorial Fund, which Cox created to honor his parents, provides support for Lost Creek Community Grove at the Lost Creek Settlement near Terre Haute, one of the state’s earliest settlements of free people of color. Since its inception in 2020, the Cox Funds have awarded nearly $1.2 million in grants around the state. Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program serves as a preservation advisor to both funds, recommending projects.
Applications for the next round of grants will be due April 1, 2027. Those who want to suggest a property that might qualify for grants from the funds should contact Indiana Landmarks at coxfunds@indianalandmarks.org.
Born in Brazil, Ind., Cox was an Indiana University graduate who worked for 32 years for Eli Lilly and Co., beginning as a chemist and holding a variety of positions during his career. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic society, he also earned a master’s degree from Butler University. An advocate for academic biochemical research, he endowed the Standiford H. Cox Professorship in Biochemistry at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.
Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) is an $850 million public foundation working to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make this a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity. CICF was established in 1997 as a partnership between The Indianapolis Foundation, serving Marion County since 1916, and Hamilton County Community Foundation, serving Hamilton County since 1991. For more information about CICF, visit www.cicf.org or call 317-634-2423.