As the Georgia Senate runoff race approaches, extremists have flooded Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church with hateful threats.
What We Know:
- Ebenezer Baptist Church was founded in 1886, nine years after the Reconstruction era ended. The church was established with only 13 people who came together under the guidance of the first pastor, Reverend John A. Parker. Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. was an assistant minister to Ebenezer’s second pastor Rev. Adam Daniel Williams. Rev. King Sr. then became the church’s minister in 1931 following the death of Rev. Willams.
- In 1960 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served by his father’s side as co-pastor until his assassination 8 years later. Dr. King’s funeral was held at Ebenezer “as a final farewell to his spiritual home,” as stated by the church’s website.
- Reverend Raphael Warnock has been Ebenezer’s pastor since 2005 and is only the 5th pastor to lead the church’s congregation since it was founded. He is also currently a candidate for the Georgia Senate runoffs. Unfortunately, his church has suffered an overwhelming wave of hateful comments due to his candidacy. In a statement, the church said, “individuals holding hate in their hearts for our Church are coming into our digital spaces and leaving disparaging and often blatantly racist comments, many of which, unfortunately, are directed at our Church’s Senior Pastor.”
- Jamie Kennedy shared one of the many hateful calls to the church from his Twitter page, writing, “this ugly and horribly #racist call is one of many sadly that @ebenezer_atl has been getting because of the Senate runoff, and it’s not just over the phone. Both sides of the aisle are facing threatening attacks.
This ugly and horribly #racist call is one of many sadly that @ebenezer_atl has been getting because of the Senate runoff, and it's not just over the phone. Both sides of the aisle are facing threatening attacks. Details @CBS46 #Atlanta #GAPOL #Crime pic.twitter.com/3ogX77pxDV
— Jamie S Kennedy (@Jamie_S_Kennedy) December 11, 2020
- Sweet Auburn District is a historically African-American community where many of its citizens consider Ebenezer their spiritual sanctuary. The MLK Jr. National Historic Site was established in 1980 on Auburn Ave., where the King home is located. CBS46 reported, one woman visiting the momentous neighborhood shared her concern about the ongoing harassment. “They shouldn’t attack the church; the church is an establishment. Just because it’s the pastor (running for senate), they’re completely separate, it’s unacceptable,” she said. Ebenezer has received such an abundance of racist and tasteless remarks on their social media pages, forcing them to filter their comments.
- Voting System Implementation Manager at the Secretary of State’s Office, Gabriel Sterling, revealed that someone sent an elections director threatening emails at 2 in the morning. He says following the email, the director’s car window was found broken. Kennedy contacted Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, as well as Jon Ossoff’s office, to check if they too have gotten threats of any kind but have not yet heard back.
Despite all the hatred and negativity the church has endured, several others online have sent their prayers and support. The Georgia runoffs will determine control of the Senate on Jan. 5, 2021
