The Black Church

“Roll, Jordan, Roll”, “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Had”, “Go Down, Moses”, and “Wade in the Water” are the titles of only a handful of what were called “Negro Spirituals”, which originated during the reign of slavery in the United States (Frey). Such spirituals used call-and-response, a method of communication that was popular with slaves who brought African traditions to America, and gave way to the gospel music and unique form of preaching characteristic to the Black Church. The history of the Black Church, which began during the slave era, demonstrates the way that African Americans found refuge in Christianity, where the church became the center for African American communities (Baer). Born out of struggle and oppression, the Black Church not only became the focus for the religious practices of African American communities, but also worked to “re-member” the community through rituals such as that of call-and-response, a core element of the Black Church which served as a powerful tool for the African American community in the fight for the exercise of true freedom in America.

The thinking was that bringing the struggle to white churches would stir the consciences of white Christians and motivate thus far silent white

The black church is not dead. Reviewing Eddie Glaude's and Joshua Lazard's article on the state of the black church as a noun an institution. Glaude states, the black church is dead, while Lazard rebuttal that the black church is very much alive. after reading Lazard's article I seem to identify with the reasons Lazard claimed the black church is not dead , writing responses for every bold statement made by Glaude's in his article the black church is dead. Lazard response to Glaude's statemets about the black church branches, and the presence in the black community.

In fact, many churches became targets for those who were against the (the right to vote, to free speech, to fair and equal treatment, etc.,) movement. Four African American churches were bombed in Montgomery, Alabama in 1957. Later that year, two were burned in Bessemer, Alabama. In 1964, two African Americans were killed when a church used to register black people (who vote) was bombed (Simmparris). This went on for many years in many states because black churches shown (by using a physical object to represent an idea or emotion) the (the right to vote, to free speech, to fair and equal treatment, etc.,) movement as a whole. When black churches were burned in the 1960's, not only were their buildings physically knocked out/totally disabled, but their members often became socially (sick/unwilling) also. Many African American crowds were too afraid of being attacked to hold mass meetings or put into use new programs that would control (separating things/separating people by race, religion, etc.). Therefore, racially (gave a reason to do something) crimes (of setting things on fire), though unsuccessful in destroying the souls of black communities, managed to cause a big amount of harm on churches, their people in the audience, and surrounding communities

As a result of the white clergymen who did not preach the whole gospel? Slaves develop what became known as the invisible church which drew from the African traditions and revivalist forms of worship. “It ain’t enough to talk about God, you’ve got to feel him moving on the altar of your heart,” (45). Therefore, the slaves along with slave preachers instituted the invisible church. The slaves used hymns as coded language to announce prayer meeting. Also hymns were used to talk about plans of escape to the North. Similarly, the invisible church helped to organize the revolts of Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner. Raboteau points out that the invisible church had a dual function in the religious life of the slaves. The invisible church was otherworldly in the sense that this world was not the end nor the final measure of a person’s existence. Likewise, the invisible church was this- worldly because it helped the slaves to experience their own personal value (59). Chapter four examined looking for emancipation and the limits of freedom. The invisible church became visible and education became one of the primary emphasis of the freedman and the church. During the reconstruction period of 1865- 1877, white churches organized some of the historically black colleges. A number of school and colleges were founded by black churches also. What looked like the promise land for the freed slaves soon turned

The First African-American Congregation that would lead to the massive church that is today’s Black Church was the First African baptist church located in New Georgia, Savannah.

First, this book changed my point of view on injustice when people from the town talked bad to Atticus when he decided to take the case for Tom Robinson. “Then why did Cecil say you defended niggers?” (Lee pg.100) This quote is showing how people think of Atticus because he's defending Tom which is really racist

There was a lot of singing and shouting done in these secret meeting places. Shouting had two basic forms regular shouting and ring shouting. The “ring shout” a ritualized group activity clearly of African origin, which gained momentum in praise houses. Shouting is experienced when the Holy Spirit fills and empowers the worshipers so that they are unable to remain still. Much like today, when the Holy Spirit takes over your body, you can’t hold still and the Holy Spirit jumps from one person to

To be sure, there were numerous black protests in the Americas as well. Revisionist historian Herbert Aptheker has done an admirable job of refuting the claim of many early white historians that slave rebellions were rare in the colonies, and that the black slaves were docile, disinterested, or indifferent to freedom. Neither slave songs nor folklore indicate that blacks either liked or were indifferent to slavery. Black ancestors took advantage of every opportunity to make it clear that they were not created for enslavement. Aptheker has written both of the frequency and the more than two hundred and fifty “reported Negro conspiracies and revolts.” In addition, there is no way to determine the large number of individual escapes and

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a harsh criticism of Southern prejudice. However, Mockingbird focuses not on this prejudice, but on how to fight it. Throughout the novel, Atticus Finch tries to prevent his children from succumbing to the bigotry that plagues Maycomb County. Atticus's lessons teach us that by standing in other people's shoes and exposing ourselves to other people's views we can fight our own prejudice.

From reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I learned that racism is very harmful to the people it affects, that it was a huge issue at that time, and that it was considered a part of everyday life in the South. I also learned that there is more to a person than meets the eye and you will never know a person’s entire story, so you should always be kind and compassionate to them.

The book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee in 1960, shows a lot of racism, it shows a lot of examples of the moral and there is a lot of irony that is shown. The moral of To Kill a Mockingbird(TKAM) is shown all throughout the book. The characters are talking about it from the beginning of the book all the way to the end of the book on why some people and things haven’t done anything to you but yet people still have a problem with them. Jeremy (Jem) Finch and his sister Scout Finch are the children of Atticus Finch, a hard working and caring lawyer. In the book the kids get told a moral by Atticus that it is a sin to Kill a Mockingbird. Later in the book the kids realize that he is right and it involves signs of karma, racism and they realize that there society is not perfect because of what the moral means.

Richard Allen started the African Methodist-Episcopal church in a response to the treatment of black congregants in white churches (Gates, 2014). For instance, Richard Allen was invited to preach at a white church, but he noticed that the Black congregants were unable to sit in the same pews with the White congregants (Gates, 2014). As a result of this Allen with some friends staged Americas first sit in by going into a White church and sitting in the “white” congregants pews to pray (Gates, 2014). The white preachers approached Allen and his friends and told them that they could not sit and that area and that they needed to leave the church (Gates, 2014). On account of this Allen started the African American Episcopal Church in Philadelphia,

Some churches handle on racism was disappointing but it was also people in the church who stepped up to advocate for the abolition of slavery.

In the book to kill a mockingbird, it seemed to show less racism and hate. You can see the segregation in it all though, it’s just hidden. In the school, courthouse, and where they lived. In the book, it's all revolving around the case that atticus is working on. The main thing that i see is that people are stuck on the color of skin and won't look past it when the evidence shows that this shouldn't even be a case.