Background

The idea for a Council of Black Led Churches came about after the riots in Birmingham in the 1980's. It began in 1988 as the Black Led Churches Liaison Committee, BLCLC. This was initiated to respond to the need for black churches to be more united and to be represented in places of influence. Its aims were to improve the education, health and employment opportunities for the black community.

The prime mover was Councilor Sybil Spence who mobilized, among others, Pastors J Corbett, (chair) L. Anderson (secretary) and S.U. Thompson. (Treasurer).

Together, these pioneers organised the setting up of the black led Christian ecumenical organisation that is now formally known as CBLC. However, the Council of Black Led Churches did not formally start until around 1998.

CBLC now exists as a unifying agency at the heart of Black Christian faith in the Midlands. CBLC responds to the needs of and issues affecting black-led and black-majority churches. It currently represents a minimum of 200 churches plus other Christian organisations along with around 30,000 Christians in the Midlands.