The History of Black Americans and the Black Church

Our Scripture verse for today is Matthew 5:14-16 which reads: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "Both the pastor and the church community have been major contributors to promoting the spiritual as well as the psychological well-being of individuals. While the landscape has changed dramatically over the years, both the church setting and the pastor remain vital to the overall well-being of individuals involved in the church community. It is my belief that the historical 'Black Church' had more of a way-of-life effect on its parishioners than many contemporary congregations do. Further, as individuals began to compartmentalize their lives, some of the natural psychological benefits arising from church involvement started to dissipate. As the deep psychological impact of the 'Black Church' began to be removed from it, its all-embracing benefits also started to wane."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "African Culture and the Diaspora" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

Students of Africa and America have discussed for many years the question of the extent to which African culture was transplanted and preserved in the New World. Of course, a considerable number of students formerly contended that nothing existed in Africa that approached civilization and that there was, therefore, nothing for Africans to bring with them. As evidence to the contrary began to pile up, that position was no longer tenable. Questions still remained as to whether Africans continued to be African in ways other than color and whether any substantial elements of Africa became part of the general acculturative process taking place in America. Sociologists like E. Franklin Frazier and Robert E. Park have failed to see anything in contemporary African-American life that can be traced to the African background. On the other hand, scholars like Carter G. Woodson, Melville J. Herskovits, Lorenzo Turner, John Blassingame, and Albert Raboteau have insisted that the African cultural heritage can still be seen in many aspects of American life today. In the 1960s and 1970s the debate was revived when many blacks and some whites began to insist that a substantial portion of African culture not only survived the Atlantic crossing but has persisted to the present day. Although the controversy continues unresolved, it nevertheless seems possible to make a tentative statement about this important problem.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 6" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. // Conflict over the Question of Status (Continued)

The question of status was not confined to the South. In the North as in the South a number of Negro preachers had acquired some distinction and had preached to predominantly white congregations. Among these was Lemuel Haynes, the illegitimate child of a Negro and a white woman who was born in Connecticut in 1753. He took the name of a white benefactor who took him in his home when he was abandoned by his mother. Haynes grew to manhood in Massachusetts after having been bound out as a child of five months. It was in the home of the man to whom he was bound out that he first read the Bible and conducted the family prayers. He was licensed to preach in the Congregational Church and serve in a number of churches in New England.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today, we are continuing with part 3 of Chapter 3: "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865".

THE HAMITIC CURSE

One belief held by many during this period was the "Hamitic curse," and Genesis 9:25 was a favorite text of many Southern preachers. A study of Genesis 9:20-27 reveals that it was Ham, the father of Canaan, who saw Noah's nakedness. However, the curse is upon Canaan, Noah's grandson. Because the Bible does not teach that curses fall indiscriminately upon the heads of the innocent, different solutions have been offered as to why Canaan and not Ham was cursed. Some have suggested that the words "his younger son", meaning “the little one,” could refer to Canaan as well as to Ham, thus punishing Canaan for his own sin and not that of his father. One thing is clear: those who talk about the Hamitic curse must remember that Canaan, not Ham, was cursed. If Ham bore blame, we are unaware of his punishment. It is simply prophesied that the moral guilt of Ham would manifest itself in Canaan and his descendants. Thus, first of all, it was Canaan, not Ham, upon whom the curse fell.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Matthew 19:14 which reads: "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "The possibility and reality of becoming someone new is offered by Jesus Christ when one is placed in the true church. Second Corinthians 5:17 states: 'Therefore if any man [person] be in Christ, he [or she] is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.' This is a profound message of the Gospel and true church. Imagine slaves who were humiliated and treated as less than persons but had within them the message of being a new creation in Christ."

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 3)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

There was usually enough stability within African states and among them to make possible healthy economic development. The division of labor and the practice of specialization in occupations display a remarkable versatility and variety of talents and tastes. The interest in commerce and the understanding of the economic importance of contact with the European and Asian worlds show a realism similar to that of contemporary states in other parts of the world.

Nothing is more impressive in viewing the social institutions of Africa than the cohesive influence of the family. The immediate family, the clan, and the ethnic community undergirded every aspect of life. The rule of discipline enforced in the family was responsible in large measure for the stability that has been observed in various aspects of life. The influence and hold that the patriarch had over the members of the family was largely responsible for the stability that was characteristic of the area. The deep loyalty and attachment of the individual to the family approached reverence and indeed was the basis for most of the religious practices, in which veneration of ancestors played such an important part.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 6" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

Conflict over the Question of Status

It is apparent then that in the early development of the Negro church on an institutional basis there was the question of the status of the Negro preachers and Negro communicants in relation to the white church organizations. In the South where slavery was the normal condition of the Negro or as the Supreme Court of Mississippi stated that the laws of the State "presume a Negro prima facie to be a slave," it was to be expected that the question of the status of the Negro in the churches should be insistent. In fact, the schism which was created in the various national church organizations over the question of slavery involved the status of the Negro in the Christian churches. After many attempts to reconcile the viewpoint of the southern sections of these church organizations which sought justification of slavery in the Scriptures with that of northern elements who refused to justify slavery on Christian grounds, the Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians split and set up separate organizations. In the South the Negroes continued to join the Methodist and Baptist churches in large numbers and to worship in the segregated sections of the churches of their masters.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks.

Today we are continuing with part 3 of Chapter 3: "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865"

A TERRIBLE DEMORALIZING ERA

Under the lax moral life of the plantation, where marriage was a farce, laziness a virtue, and property a theft, a religion of resignation and submission degenerated easily, in less strenuous minds, into a philosophy of indulgence and crime. Many of the worst characteristics of the Negro masses of today had their seed in this period of the slave's ethical growth. Here it was that the Home was ruined under the very shadows of the church, white and black; here habits of a shiftlessness took root, and sullen hopelessness replaced hopeful strife.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Colossians 2:9-10 which reads: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, “One's worldview has a profound impact on one's psychology of life and one's behavior. The 'Black Church' teaches a worldview. It is Bibliocentric and views life as important, ordained of God, with a future life that is even better. This 'otherworldly' aspect of religion has been misinterpreted by many, including Black writers. Such writers saw the 'otherworldliness' as escapism or as 'opium of the people.' While one must admit that in the practice of Christianity, one can exhibit escapism, true religion/Christianity is both 'this and otherworldly.' Jesus indicated in His high priestly prayer that we are 'in the world but not of the world.' It is the proper understanding of this and other Scriptures that allows one to maintain sanity in the midst of oppression, hatred, discrimination, etc. Without such a view it would have been easy for our fore parents to give up and say, 'What's the use?'"

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 2)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

The numerous spoken languages found in Africa always constituted a barrier to the development of literary forms. From the Atlantic to Ethiopia, through the heart of the continent, the languages of the Sudanic group are spoken. In the southern half of Africa, Bantu is spoken. There are at least ten Semitic dialects, ranging from the Arabic in North Africa to the Berber dialects heard in the Great Desert. Besides, there are many communal dialects and languages that have no apparent relationship with the principal language groups. Among these are the languages of Suto, Rwanda, and Banda. Thus, where there is so much heterogeneity in the spoken language, even within a relatively small area, the almost insurmountable difficulties involved in the evolution of adequate means of extensive communication become readily apparent.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 5" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

Andrew Bryan was born a slave in South Carolina and was brought by his master to Savannah. He began with public exhortations and prayer meetings and was soon preaching to congregations of white and black people in Savannah. Bryan was permitted by his master and other whites to erect a church. But considerable opposition developed because it was feared that despite the "salutary" effect of his preaching, the religious gatherings would lead to a slave uprising. Bryan and his brother suffered considerable persecution including whippings and torture. His master came to his defense, and he was permitted to conduct his services in a barn. Through the assistance of influential friends he was able to collect funds in order to purchase a lot upon which he built a church. When his master died, the heirs of the estate gave him an opportunity to purchase his freedom. However, the church remained under the control of the heirs of his master's estate and the worship of the communicants continued to be supervised by whites. As the membership increased, a number of congregations split and new churches were founded. When Bryan died in 1812, he was the acknowledged and respected leader of the religious life of Negroes in Georgia.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today we are continuing with part 2 of Chapter 3: "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865".

RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED

Southern states moved rapidly to enact stringent laws. In Mississippi in 1823 it became unlawful for six or more Blacks to meet for educational purposes. Meetings for religious purposes required the permission of the master. Even then a recognized White minister or two reputable Whites had to be present. In Delaware in 1831, no more than twelve Blacks were allowed to assemble later than 12 o'clock midnight unless three respectable Whites were present. No free Black could attempt to call a meeting for religious worship unless authorized by a judge or justice of peace upon recommendation of five respectable White citizens. In many sections of the South Black preachers were silenced and not allowed to preach other than on their own plantations, and then only with their masters' consent.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Ephesians 3:20-21 which reads: "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, The nature of the Christian message is one that, when properly understood and applied, gives meaning to life. The church, with its message of hope and its vision of humankind that are abstracted from a biblical viewpoint, makes a profound impact on the believer. The church and its message actually give new meaning to life. This meaning in turn gives a direction to life."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 1)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

In some areas of art, Africans attained a high degree of expression. In carvings and sculptures of wood, stone, and ivory, their work displayed an originality both in technique and subject matter that marked them clearly as a people with an abundant capacity for aesthetic expression. There was, of course, a great degree of variation from place to place in the level of expression attained, but hardly any community failed to show some inclination toward the use of certain art forms. Benin bronze and brass works of rosettes, doorplates, and metal vases reflect great skill in the use of this difficult medium. Among the Yoruba the delicacy of form seen in the terra-cotta pieces is a testimonial to the rare artistry that these people possessed. The statuettes of people and animals widely used by African communities in religious rites serve as a reminder that almost everywhere some Africans concerned themselves with artistic activities. From Timbuktu to the Congo there was considerable work in wood, gold, silver, ivory, clay, and the like, and it cannot be denied that many of these pieces bear witness to the fact that African art was not only indigenous but also worthy of the name.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 4" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

The relation of the free Negroes to the white Christian churches may be seen first in the activities of the early Negro preachers and their relations with white congregations. This was natural since, as we have seen, the Negro preacher slave as well as free, occupied a dominant position in the religious activities of Negroes. The traditional African priesthood had disappeared and a church organization only grew up gradually among the Negroes.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks.

Today we are looking at the section titled, "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865"

CAUSES BEHIND THE REACTION

In the critical era of 1820-65, slavery became an extremely important part of the South's economy. First, in the industrial revolution that took place, the invention of the cotton gin increased a slave's ability to clean cotton by 50 pounds a day. New machines like the wool-comber, spinning jenny, and steam engine played their part in increasing the slave's value. For those who stooped so low, slave breeding became a lucrative practice. This had a great demoralizing effect upon the Blacks who had practically no family life as it was. New machines meant greater production; this required more slaves, who, in turn, became more valuable.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Psalm 46:10 which reads: "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "Hope is also a needed element for an enduring life. Those who decide to live rather than commit suicide often have a high degree of hope. Hope is still taught in the Black Church. Hope is an integral part to the true Christian message and is reinforced in healthy Christian settings. Hope thus has deep spiritual and psychological meaning and implication. Psychologically, hope may be defined as a belief that leads one to strive for a certain outcome with the expectation that the outcome will occur."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Religion (Part 2)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

The elaborateness of funeral rites all over the continent attests to the regard that Africans had for the idea that the spirits of the dead played an important part in the life of the kinship group. The funeral was the climax of life, and costly and extensive rituals were sacred obligations of the survivors. The dead were generally buried in the ground either beneath the huts in which they had lived or in cemeteries. Burial often took place within a few days after death, but at times the family delayed interment for several weeks or longer. The grave was not completely closed until every member of the family had had an opportunity to present offerings and to participate in some rite incident to interment. Nothing more clearly demonstrates the cohesiveness of the African family than the ceremonies and customs it practiced on the occasion of the death and burial of a member.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 3" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

The relations of free Negroes and Whites in churches were determined largely by the slave status of the majority of the Negro population. Although the Anglican Church carried on missionary activities among the slaves, they were not interested in changing the status of the slaves. It was the Quakers who, in accepting both Negro slaves and free people on an equal basis, became the enemy of the system of slavery. Religious training of the slaves as a preparation for freedom was advocated by the Quakers as early as the seventeenth century. Many of them freed their slaves and helped to remove legal restrictions against the private manumission of slaves. The relation of free Negroes to the White in the churches did not become a real issue until Negroes were evangelized by the Baptists and Methodists.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today we are looking at the section titled, "Black Churches Led by Blacks, Part 2"

The case of Richard Allen is an excellent example of the break with a White congregation. Born a slave in the city of Philadelphia, Allen was sold to a planter who took him to Delaware. He saved his money and in 1777 bought his freedom the same year he was converted under Methodist preaching.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Romans 12:15 which reads: "Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "The historical situation of Blacks in America—mainly one of slavery and oppression—under normal circumstances would break one's spirit. But Blacks, armed with a hope in and vision of God and an opportunity to assemble together even under the rubric of the church as an 'invisible institution,' were able to encourage each other and to focus on the true Christian message. This life-giving message is deeply undergirded and sustained by and through hope. Even today one of the favorite hymns sung in many churches is, 'My Hope is Built on Nothing Less than Jesus' Blood and Righteousness.' Other historical songs as well as sermons infused with the good news of Christ were steeped in the element of hope."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Religion (Part 1)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

Certainly up to the period of the many European incursions into Africa the vast majority of the people engaged in religious practices that were indigenous to the continent. These practices were only outward manifestations of certain religious beliefs and, like symbols in other religions, they did not indicate the specific character of the religion. The religion of early Africans can most accurately be described as ancestor worship. Africans believed that the spirits of their ancestors had unlimited power over their lives. In this, as in almost every aspect of African life, the kinship group was important. It was devoutly believed that the spirit that dwelled in a relative was deified upon death and that it continued to live and take an active interest in the family. The spirits of early ancestors had been free to wield an influence for such a long time that they were much more powerful than the spirits of the more recently deceased, hence, the devout worship and the complete deification of early ancestors. Not only were the spirits of deceased members of the family worshipped, but a similar high regard was held for the spirits that dwelt on the family land, in the trees and rocks in the community of the kinship group, and in the sky above the community.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 2" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

The Negroes who were free before the Civil War were concentrated in the areas where the plantation system of agriculture either had not taken root or had died out. They were to be found chiefly in the tidewater region of Virginia and Maryland and the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Moreover, there were settlements of free Negroes in the North and in the isolated communities of Negroes mixed with Indians. But the majority of free Negroes were concentrated in the cities both in the North and in the South. It was in the urban areas of the South that the free Negroes were able to achieve a secure position in the economic organization.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks.

Today we are looking at the section titled, "Black Churches Led by Blacks, Part 1"

The third group, Black churches with Black leaders, also grew. At first the free Blacks in the North were mainly responsible for these independent assemblies. They could do this, even though there were restrictions upon them: “there were all kinds of restrictive laws against free Negroes as regards voting, holding civic offices, testifying in court against white men, purchasing white servants, intermarrying with whites. and associating with slaves in the South. Free Negroes were required to pay taxes, however. In the North, political and economic conditions were somewhat better, but earning a living was more precarious than in the South.”

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Our Scripture verse for today is Romans 12:15 which reads: "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "Christian self-actualization differs radically from humanistic self-actualization. Humanistic self-actualization occurs when an individual becomes all that one can be within the context of human standards and parameters. However, Christian self-actualization occurs when one becomes all he or she can become since the Christian's personal development is moderated by and occurs within the context of Jesus Christ and the parameters and principles of Scripture. The Christian becomes self-actualized as movement toward maturity or perfection is occurring. For believers in Christ Jesus, perfection does not mean sinless, but implies growth and movement toward maturity. Jesus, for example, indicated in Matthew 22:37-40 that for Christians the great commandment in the law is: 'Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' Hence, the self-actualized Christian would express love and have mature relationships on three dimensions: to God, to fellow humanity, and to self. Martin Luther King Jr. aptly suggested that to live a complete life; that is, a self-actualized life, one must be complete on all three dimensions."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Social Organization (Part 3)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

It must not be assumed that people at the lower levels of the social order enjoyed no privileges or respect. All were regarded as necessary to society and were respected for what they contributed. They were accorded numerous privileges because their acknowledged skills earned for them the right to move from one place to another and entrance into groups that otherwise would have been closed to them.

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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 1" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

Negroes Who Were Free Before the Civil War

The twenty Negroes who were sold to the Virginia settlers by a Dutch man-of-war in 1619 were not slaves, since there was no precedent in English law for slavery. These Negroes and those imported later were "absorbed in a growing system (servitude based upon English apprenticeship and vagrancy laws) which spread to all the colonies and for nearly a century furnished the chief supply of colonial labor." Little is known of what became of the first twenty Negroes who were introduced into the Virginia colony. However, there is a record of the baptism of a child of one couple among them.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks

Today we are looking at the section titled, "Early Black Churches Led by Whites, Part 2"

In the years after the Revolutionary War, determined efforts were made for real independence -- religious independence. The first distinctive Black Baptist church in America was founded at Silver Bluff, S.C., between the years 1773 and 1775. with help by a White deacon, named W. Palmer. It is known that George Liele (or Lisle) preached there. Liele was born a slave about 1750, probably in Virginia, and later taken to Georgia.

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Our Scripture verse for today is 1 Corinthians 1:10 which reads: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, defined the human's highest need as the need for self-actualization. That is, all that a person can be one must be. Christianity, biblically practiced and exercised, takes the individual to one's highest level and allows the person to become fully who he or she is. The true church allows individuals to become all that one could become. The true church allowed and allows total development by an individual. In the true church, the individual can develop all dimensions—mind, body, soul, and spirit."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Social Organization (Part 2)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

Our second topic for today is "The Invisible Institution Comes Into Existence, Part 3" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier.

Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today we are looking at the section titled, "Early Black Churches Led by Whites, Part 1"

Our Scripture verse for today is Philippians 4:19 which reads: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "The 'Black Church' has historically been a spiritual and unique psychological sustaining force for Black people. Many have observed that, without God and the 'Black Church,' Blacks in America would not have survived the horrors of the middle passage and slavery. From all indications, and contrary to some observers, the historical faith of Black people as practiced in Christianity was authentic and genuine. It was 'other­worldly,' but also 'this-worldly.' It allowed individuals to sustain hope, bear pain, endure agony, and maintain a sense of sanity -- with the hope and belief that a better day was coming by and by. Even those who do not share this faith would have to admit as history unfolded that a better day did come for Black people."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to purchase any one of these books from our website, HistoryofBlackAmericansAndTheBlackChurch.com.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Social Organization (Part 1)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

As among other peoples, the clan, a group of families related by blood, was the basis of social organization in early Africa. The foundation of even economic and political life in Africa was the clan, with its inestimable influence over individual members. Although the eldest male was usually the head of the clan, relationships were traced through the mother rather than the father. Women were central figures in African society because they were, through marriage, the keys to appropriating land and, through their labor and that of the children they bore, the means to cultivating land.

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Our second topic for today is "The Invisible Institution Comes Into Existence, Part 2" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

One qualification which the Negro preacher among the slaves needed to possess was some knowledge of the Bible. However imperfect or distorted his knowledge of the Bible might be, the fact that he was acquainted with the source of sacred knowledge, which was in a sense the exclusive possession of his white masters, gave him prestige in matters concerning the supernatural and religious among his fellow slaves. His knowledge of the sacred scriptures had to be combined with an ability to speak and communicate his special knowledge to the slaves.

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks

Today we are looking at the section titled, "White Churches with Black Membership"

Attending the master's church was the first step. The first Black converts attended the churches of masters who permitted them to engage in religious activity. It was not so much an expression of Christian brotherhood as it was an opportunity to keep an eye on the Blacks.

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Our Scripture verse for today is Romans 14:11 which reads: "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "What is the psychology in Black preaching? First, there is the negative aspect. This negative and potentially detrimental aspect plays on and deliberatively seeks the emotions of the people. Those who employ this method of preaching may or may not be genuine. Such individuals know well the language, idioms, and culture of the people and congregation; they know well how to create an atmosphere that is capable of drawing people into an experience. In the presence of such 'preaching,' if one would withdraw from the experience and become an observer, one would probably describe what is happening as devoid of much substance and content. From such a vantage point, the major goal of the ‘preaching’ would seemingly be to create an experience, a happening. One would find it difficult to differentiate some of what occurs in such a service from what one would see at a major concert or other entertainment events. This type of 'preaching' fits King's description of what often occurs in what he calls the 'Burn-up Church.' Persons who do this non-genuinely are using the people for their own benefits—whether to 'fleece the flock' or for some other motive."

In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.

Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- Economic Life (Part 2)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

Domestic animals were a part of almost every farm, but in some areas the rural people devoted most of their attention to the grazing of sheep and cattle and the raising of chickens and other fowl. In northeastern Africa some tribes were known for their great skill in the breeding and care of cattle. In the east, many villages ascribed so much importance to the raising of cattle that wealth was measured in terms of heads of cattle. The Bantu and Khoikhoi engaged in farming as well as large-scale cattle raising.

Artisanry was a significant area of economic activity. Even less complex communities contained members who were skilled along various lines. Many groups exhibited remarkable knowledge of basketry, textile weaving, pottery, woodwork, and metallurgy. The Pygmies manufactured bark cloth and fiber baskets. The Khoikhoi devoted much time and attention to making clothing from textiles, skins, and furs. The Ashantis of the Gold Coast wove rugs and carpets and turned and glazed pottery with considerable skill. In many parts of the Sudan there was extensive manufacturing of woodenware, tools, and implements.

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Our second topic for today is "The Invisible Institution Comes Into Existence, Part 1" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

It is no exaggeration to say that the "invisible institution" of the Negro church took root among the enslaved blacks. The key to an understanding of the "invisible institution" may be found in the typical remark of an ex-slave who wrote: “Our preachers were usually plantation folks just like the rest of us. Some man who had a little education and had been taught something about the Bible would be our preacher. The colored folks had their code of religion, not nearly so complicated as the white man's religion, but more closely observed... When we had our meetings of this kind, we held them in our own way and were not interfered with by the white folks."

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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today we are looking at the section titled, "The Rise of the Black Preacher"

In time, the Black preacher played a significant role in the development of Black society. The Whites supplied the preachers most of the time in Black churches during this era. And in White churches to which Blacks were allowed to come, White ministers preached. Occasionally, Black exhorters were allowed to speak from the floor (not from the pulpit). Some congregations had Black preachers (mostly free Blacks) who became well known for their effectiveness. In the North, Lemuel Haynes was perhaps best known. Born in Connecticut in 1753, he grew to manhood in Massachusetts, served in the Revolutionary War and later was licensed to preach in the Congregational Church. One of the first Blacks in America to pastor a White congregation, he served various churches in Vermont for more than twenty years.

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