“The Bronzeville church that held Till’s funeral is celebrating his life by restoring the building to its former glory.
“With phase one of the church’s restoration complete, the big next step is working on the sanctuary at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ: the very place they want to be the beacon of hope Till deserved.
“They are one step closer to opening what will be a national monument and museum, honoring the life and legacy of Till.
“Once on the endangered list of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the building became part of the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in 2023 under President Joe Biden.
“In phase one, church leaders said they just completed restoring the outside of the building. And there’s a lot more to come.
“‘We hope to have a cafeteria, full-service cafeteria, a coffee shop, a gift shop,’ said Marvel Parker, Preserve Robert’s Temple Initiative project director.
“With over 25,000 square feet in the building, they’ll have two theaters, conference rooms, offices and a dining room. They’ll also restore the sanctuary to the way it looked in 1955, with a balcony and folding chairs.” (Minor, ABC 7 News Chicago, 7/25/25)
Preservation Chicago has played a leadership role in the decades long effort to recognize, honor and protect the memory of Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley through Chicago Landmark Designations.
Preservation Chicago played an important role in the landmark designation of Roberts Temple in 2006. More recently, Preservation Chicago played an essential role in coordinating all the stakeholders and ensuring that Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley Home finally became a Designated Chicago Landmark in 2021 and we continue to play an active advocacy role.
Watch the full story at ABC 7 News Chicago