Celebrating Black History at KPC
February has come to be known as Black History Month, a time to commemorate and celebrate all the contributions that our African American brothers and sisters, throughout the ages, have gifted our country and our culture.
At KPC we celebrate the contributions of all African American members and friends who help to create the rich tapestry that is our KPC family. Our congregation, mirroring the Kenilworth neighborhood, reflects various hues and colors. Together, we form a group that is diverse in mind, body and spirit--and unlike some areas of life where diversity equals discord, we at KPC welcome, in the most genuine sense, everyone, finding strength rather than strife in difference. To paraphrase Walt Whitman, we contain multitudes!
We are showcasing one KPC member in particular as we honor Black History Month. While we plan to feature many stories that reflect our diversity, we'll start by sharing the story of Cordelia Chambers.
Cordelia Chambers | First African American Member at KPC
KPC is proud to feature Ms. Cordelia Chambers, our first African American KPC member and our second longest standing member of KPC. An Asheville native, Ms. Chambers is the daughter of a Baptist minister and grew up in Rock Hill Baptist Church on Caribou Road here in Asheville. Cordelia grew up on West Chapel Rd., Petersburg, a place name that no longer exists, having come to be called Shiloh, near Oakley. After marrying our own Marvin (or Dean, as she calls him) in the late 60’s, Cordelia moved to South Asheville, also known as Kenilworth.
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Allen High, a Methodist-supported school in Asheville, was where Cordelia completed high school. Afterwards, she moved to Greensboro for college. Once she married “fine-as-gold-and-three-times-as-precious” Marvin Chambers, they moved to their current location on Kenilworth Rd.
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When Cordelia first arrived in the Kenilworth neighborhood, she was without a car and without a drivers license. Marvin was at the time the Grand Master of Masons and, as such, was away most weekends, traveling to Durham and other locations to fulfill his masonic responsibilities. So Cordelia set about to find a church on foot, trusting God to help her.
Her first choice was the neighborhood Methodist church on Wyoming, an African American church that made the walls vibrate with their singing on Sunday mornings. While Cordelia liked the church, the walk home—and up the big Wyoming hill—was too much for her. So she decided to try St. John A Baptist, a historical black church at the end of Dalton and situated beside an enslaved person cemetery (containing over 2000 graves of former slaves, some marked, many not); but the walk there was a bit too far. One day—and here’s where God’s guidance came in—the idea dawned on Cordelia to attend Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, a church that was “practically in my front yard!” While a friend of hers
questioned, “You’re attending that white church up the hill?” Cordelia responded, “Last time I looked, it was a red brick building!” Cordelia gave KPC a chance…and, well, as they say…25 years later, Cordelia still attends.
At first, she tried to stay in the background—“towards the back, if that’s ok” she told the minister as she came in to find seating in those early days—whereupon she was quickly encouraged to sit where she could get a better view. So she sat behind Bob Williams’ mom who often had Little Whitney in tow. She came to know Shirley (our longest standing member) through mutual professional work, and also sang in the choir—her next adventure at KPC—with Betsy. The choir back then sang to the accompaniment of
an organ and in the chancel. After joining the choir, Cordelia was asked to join the church and to join, as well, Presbyterian Women’s Bible Study, over which she soon became the secretary! After taking formal membership, she was asked to join KPC’s governing body, the Session, where she served 2 consecutive 3-year-terms as well as, a few years later, another 3-year term.
The biggest changes Cordelia has seen at KPC over the years? “Membership—it was much larger back then.” That’s when Bob and Shirley and Betsy and Little Whitney were part of a larger congregation which included more variety of ages. “The old folks moved to nursing homes; the younger folks moved away; and of course, there were deaths.” Cordelia would love to see an increase in membership of both black and white members. Her wish is finding fruition as KPC continues to enjoy significant growth despite a national downward curve in church attendance.
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And where does husband Marvin (Dean) fit into this picture? After he stepped out of his role of Grand Secretary General of 33 rd Degree Masons whose office was in DC and later in Tennessee, where he traveled frequently, he found himself in town on weekends and interested in the church Cordelia had come to consider her church home.
Cordelia—and Marvin—are part of the fabric of KPC. While Cordelia misses the days, pre-major renovation (which happened mostly during the Covid shut-down), when after-service fellowship was held in the Parlor, she loves the church she’s come to feel so at home in.
Christmas is one of Cordelia’s favorite times at KPC; she also enjoys the Easter cantata and her return to singing with the choir.
Cordelia is the mother of four, 3 sons (two of whom, sadly, have passed) and one daughter, and is grandmother to four grandchildren, two boys and two girls.
We celebrate Cordelia for all the contributions she’s made to KPC over the decades. She continues to be an essential member of our KPC family, for which we are forever grateful!
February is Black History Month
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