Richmond Heights and the Purple Church | Regina Grace
Regina Grace · Martin Memorial AME Church
What keeps a neighborhood’s history alive as the community around it changes?
About This Conversation
Host Irvans Augustin sits down with Regina Grace, a member of Martin Memorial AME Church for 50 years, to explore the history, people, and traditions of Richmond Heights, one of Miami-Dade County’s historically Black communities.
Regina traces the neighborhood’s roots as a community created after World War II for Black veterans who were shut out of housing elsewhere, and how 13 residents came together to found the church, known locally as the Purple Church, that still anchors it 75 years later. She shares how the church has supported families, including its role in opening 102 units of workforce housing, and the work of carrying that mission to the next generation.
In This Conversation
Richmond Heights’ roots as a community for Black World War II veterans
The founding families of Martin Memorial AME
Why it’s called the Purple Church
How Richmond Heights has changed over the decades
The church’s role in supporting families and workforce housing
Preserving community history for future generations
About the Guest
Regina Grace has been a member of Martin Memorial AME Church in Richmond Heights for 50 years.
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