Black Churches Burned in Tennessee

By Gary Ashwill / July 12, 2005

In case you missed this story from Sparta, Tenn., last week:

Seven arson fires broke out yesterday in a neighborhood in this small Middle Tennessee town, inflicting heavy damage on two black churches and burning five vacant houses, authorities said.

Sparta police detective Allen Selby said there's no evidence to suggest the arsons were part of a racist hate crime, but authorities are not ruling out anything.

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