The History of Black Americans and the Black Church

Our Scripture verse for today is Hebrews 1:3 which reads: "[Jesus] being the brightness of [God's] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."

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, "In his analysis of Black preaching, Mitchell listed two principles of effective Black preaching: 'The first is that one must declare the gospel in the language and culture of the people -- the vernacular. The second hermeneutic principle is that the gospel must speak to the contemporary man and his needs.' Hamilton further noted that two of the greatest compliments one could pay to Black preachers were: (1) that they know their Bible well and (2) that they can really preach... Black preaching is still an art form that has many unique and positive features. However, it is unfortunate that in some circles and at certain times, the style of preaching has become as important (and sometimes more so) as the content of the message. For some, 'preaching' has not occurred unless it is done in a certain manner. There is much psychology in some preaching styles and those who employ them know it and can cater to it."

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” from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.

It would be erroneous to assume that Africans were either primarily nomadic or simply agricultural. There exists in Africa such a diversity of physical environments that it would be impossible for people to evolve identical ways of life in different parts of the continent. Essentially agricultural, the peoples of Africa displayed a remarkable degree of specialization within this ancient economic pursuit. The African concept of landownership stemmed from the importance of agriculture in the peoples' way of life. The land was considered so important to the entire community that it belonged not to individuals but to the collective community, which was comprised of the first occupants of the soil. One of the most important local dignitaries was the "master of the ground," who was at the same time the grand priest of the local religion and the administrator of the soil. The importance of this official can be clearly seen, it may be recalled, in the fact that not even the political ruler could make any disposition of land without the consent of the master of the ground. Individuals or groups of people could obtain the right to use a given parcel of land, but such permission did not carry with it the right of alienation or any other form of disposition. When the land was not used productively, it reverted to the collective domain.

...

Our second topic for today is "The Negro Adapts Christianity to His Experience in the New World, Part 4" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

For a people who had been separated from kinsmen and friends, it was inevitable that the ties of kinship formed in the New World should be the most valued form of human association. This was especially true in respect to the relationship between the mother and her children since, generally, no recognition was accorded the relationship between spouses and the father and his children.

...

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 Work of Various Denominations Among the Slaves”

During the last half of the eighteenth century, near the time of the American Revolution, certain events occurred that helped spread Christianity among the Blacks. First, the inventions of the cotton gin, spinning and weaving machines, and the increased demand for cotton played a large part in the need to import more slaves to work in the Southern soil so ideal for cotton. Second, and more important perhaps, the religious revival that took place from Maine to Georgia began to touch the lives of the Blacks. Beginnings of this revival, called the Great Awakening, occurred in New Jersey in the 1720s with the preaching of a German named Frelinghuysen.

...

Our Scripture verse for today is Hebrews 1:3 which reads: "[Jesus] being the brightness of [God's] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."

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, "Part of the reason for the multiple roles of the Black Pastor has historically been that the pastor was invariably one of the most influential and articulate members of Black church society; frequently they were the most educated members of the Black community. Thus, the community and congregation demanded and, at minimum, expected them to be available to assist with their various needs. The Black pastor was and still often remains a 'counselor' to those facing family, marital, and personal difficulties. Moreover, the pastor has traditionally played a role in helping persons and families deal with death and grief issues. Their sermons often speak to these difficulties, as well as to issues of oppression and racism and thus provide hope in the midst of trials and tribulations through their teaching and sermons."

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 -- Political Institutions, Part 2” from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the West African Coast and European Merchant-Traders.

The power to govern a state usually resided in a given family and was transmitted by it. Two other families, however, performed important functions in establishing a royal personage on the throne: the electing family and the enthroning family. The electing family could exercise a choice within the royal family. In this way, Africans recognized the stabilizing effect that a royal family might have on the political fortunes of the people. At the same time, they were practical enough to recognize the fact that the eldest son was not necessarily the ablest or most desirable and felt free to choose their ruler from among any of the male members of the royal family. The new king could exercise no authority until he had been properly invested in office by those so designated by the enthroning family. These practices had the effect of ensuring the people a more satisfactory monarch than automatic descent of authority might give them.

...

Our second topic for today is "The Negro Adapts Christianity to His Experience in the New World, Part 3" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

From the standpoint of his earthly condition, the Negro was constantly concerned with death. In a recent lecture dealing with the Spirituals, a distinguished Negro minister has pointed out that for the slave death was an ever-present and compelling fact "because of the cheapness with which his life was regarded. The slave was a tool, a thing, a utility, a commodity, but he was not a person. He was faced constantly with the imminent threat of death, of which the terrible overseer was the symbol; and the awareness that he (the slave) was only chattel property, the dramatization?"

One only needs to recall the words of many of the Spirituals to realize how important death was to the slaves and later to the emancipated Negro.

...

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, “Revival -- 1777-1819: The Protestant Episcopal Church”

The eighteenth century brought a number of changes regarding evangelism among Blacks. Fears that conversion meant freedom from servitude were allayed. Various legal rulings stated that Christianity was not a legal barrier to slavery. Feeling freer to evangelize, the denominations became busier. The Anglican Society of the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, founded in 1701 and intended to care for British emigrants, soldiers, officials, and merchants, soon turned its attention to American Blacks and Native Americans.

...

Our Scripture verse for today is Matthew 20:17-19 which reads: "And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again."

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 pastor has historically been and in many cases continues to be preacher, poet, exhorter, teacher, 'social worker,' 'psychologist,' businessperson, politician, orator, civil rights leader, and community organizer. Hamilton stated: 'Black preachers have always been pacifiers, passive resisters, and vigilantes. And each type has had, and continues to have to this day, substantial following in the black communities. They have this in common: They have all been leaders of their people—people needing comfort, instruction, encouragement and guidance. At some point during slavery, the various preachers filled, in their own ways, these needs.'"

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 -- Political Institutions, Part 1” from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the West African Coast and European Merchant-Traders.

It is obviously impossible to make very many generalizations concerning the way of life in a continent as large as Africa, with so many variations in climate, physiography, and population. As in any other area, at any other time, Africa presents variations in degrees of civilization that run the entire gamut from the most simple to remarkably advanced ones. At this point little more can be done than to observe various aspects of the African way of life with a view to understanding more adequately the cultural heritage of these people who have come to claim the concern of Europeans and Americans in recent centuries. If the emphasis here appears to be placed on the way of life in West Africa, it is because there seems to be merit in trying to secure as intimate an understanding as possible of the area in which the bulk of the people lived who later became the black workers of the Americas.

...

Our second topic for today is "The Negro Adapts Christianity to His Experience in the New World, Part 2" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

On the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia where the slaves were most isolated from whites, some of the Negro Spirituals reveal some continuity with their African background. This continuity is to be found especially in what has been called the Afro-American shout songs. These shout songs are so named because they were sung and are still sung while the Negro worshippers are engaged in what might be called a holy dance. This may be regarded as an example of the most primitive and elemental expression of religion among American Negroes. Moreover, it provides an excellent illustration of Marett's contention that primitive man "does not preach his religion, but dances it instead."

...

Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by William A. Banks. Today we are looking at the section titled, “Little Progress Made in the Evangelism of the Slaves”

In these early days of slavery, Christianity made little progress among the slaves. First, it was only natural that the new arrivals were slow to break away from African rituals that were a part of their former way of life. Second, the slaves’ general interest in religion was slight, and very little was done to encourage them to become Christians even though “Christianizing” them was one of the earliest justifications given by Europeans for the slave trade. Failure to evangelize was in part traceable to the low spiritual state of the Whites themselves. There simply were no strong evangelical churches in America at the time.

...

Our Scripture verse for today is Philippians 1:29 which reads: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

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, "While I fully understand how over time the institutional church has come to have the structures and titles it has, it is time to reconsider where we are in light of Scripture. We must critically examine whether we have created the church in our image as opposed to what Jesus Christ intended. The emphasis in Scripture is not on titles, names, or positions, but rather upon service. Let us continually strive to live up to this expectation."

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, HistoryBABC.com.

Our first topic for today is a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the West African Coast and European Merchant-Traders.

"The 1591 Moroccan conquest of Songhay had not ended the trans-Saharan trade: the southern terminals had merely shifted eastward to the Hausa states and the Bornu empire. By the early twentieth century, however, when Great me west African Britain, France, and Germany were completing their conquests of West African states, the locus of power in West Africa had long since passed from the savannah kingdoms to forest-belt states located along the Gulf of Guinea to the south..."

Our second topic for today is "The Negro Adapts Christianity to His Experience in the New World, Part 1" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier.

"The Negro slave found in Christianity a theology and a new orientation toward the world at large and in doing so he adapted the Christian religion to his psychological and social needs. One of the best sources of information on the manner in which the Negro adapted Christianity to his peculiar psychological and social needs is to be found in that great body of sacred folk music known as the Negro Spirituals..."

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

We will continue looking at a Comparison of African Slaves with European Immigrants: "Whites who were indentured or contract servants were able to change their condition of living. Owners of White slaves found them more difficult to handle and keep. White slaves could run away and mix with the majority population or settle down in new areas and escape detection. Blacks could not. They had no such control over their destinies..."

Our Scripture verse for today is Romans 15:13 which reads: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

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, "Mother, in the Bible, generally refers to a female parent. Within many Black churches, however, 'mother' takes on an additional meaning and refers to older women who have been faithful to the congregation and who have typically served for a number of years with distinction. Thus, 'mother' has become a title of endearment, distinction, and special honor. Within the church, the term 'Father' does not have a similar meaning beyond a parent as does the designation 'mother.' However, in the New Testament, both Jesus and the New Testament writers refer to God as Father. While the use of 'Father' in reference to God is biblically sanctioned, the use of the term currently with Black churches has raised some concerns. That is, some have wondered whether this may be one of the reasons why some Black males have trouble identifying with God as a loving Father, given the estrangement of many Black males from their biological fathers. This is a concern worth attending to, but the solution to this concern is not to stop using the term in reference to God; rather this must become a sensitivity factor and has implications for how we teach and reach out to youths, both male and female."

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, HistoryBABC.com.

Our first topic for today is a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the Empire of the Congo.

The absence of substantial physical barriers in some areas south of the equator made possible the continuous infiltration of migratory tribes, which hampered political stability. The lands of the Bantu, San, Khoikhoi, and Pygmies certainly had some political organizations, and there is considerable anthropological and archaeological evidence to sustain the view that in some areas there existed rather advanced cultures. But it is clear that none of them reached the size or influence of West African states such as Mali and Songhay...

Our second topic for today is "Christianity: A New Orientation Toward Existence, Part 3" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:

The Bible was the means by which the Negroes acquired a new theology. As we have noted, the Negroes who were brought to the New World undoubtedly carried memories of their gods. These memories were lost or forgotten and there was a determined effort on the part of the whites to prevent any resurgence of African religion. It was from the Bible that the slaves learned of the God of the white man and of his ways with the world and with men...

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

COMPARISON OF AFRICAN SLAVES WITH EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS

Memories of Africa were erased. Family ties were destroyed. To safeguard against rebellion, members of the same tribe were separated, for without a common language there would be less chance of revolt. For economic reasons families were split up: a father sold to North Carolina, a mother and baby sent to Georgia, an older child delivered to a plantation owner in Virginia—never again to see one another. Within Africa, polygamous marriages were legal and ceremonies were performed, but for the American slave these were practically non-existent. Instead, for the most part, there was promiscuity. The tremendous deleterious effect this had on Black family life is still felt today. Slaves faced a different climate, a new environment, and an unknown tongue. The uprooting, fear, and cruelty they experienced made their lives miserable...

Our Scripture verse for today is 1 Peter 2:9-10 which reads: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."

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, "Within the Black community and the 'Black Church' the person who is a pastor is often more revered for preaching than for pastoring. As noted by Hamilton, preaching is one of the qualities that is most desirable and reinforced. I believe that this overemphasis on preaching has often led many pastors to neglect the 'shepherding' and leadership aspects of their roles. An additional widespread belief about preaching is that it is an activity to be geared toward believers and within a church setting. Speaking in contrast to this belief, Douglas in The New Bible Dictionary indicated that preaching in the early church was an activity geared toward nonbelievers."

Our first topic for today is a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the Hausa states.

The Afno, or Hausa, people are said to have had seven original states, the best known of which were Kano, Zaria, and Katsina. The Hausa states occupied roughly the area that today is northern Nigeria. Each kingdom retained its identity, with Kano emerging into the limelight for a while, then yielding to Katsina, and so on. There was commerce with the other African states and across the Sahara. Katsina became a center of learning where law and theology were studied and where the language of the people was refined. It was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Islam made noticeable inroads, that the Hausa states began to yield to outside influences...

Our second topic for today is "Christianity: A New Orientation Toward Existence, Part 2" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier.

There were some misgivings and in some instances strong opposition to acquainting the Negro with the Bible. This fear of teaching the slaves the Bible was tied up with the laws against teaching slaves to read and write. But it was also feared that the slave would find in the Bible the implications of human equality which would incite the Negro to make efforts to free himself. Opposition to teaching the Negro the Bible declined as masters became convinced that sufficient justification for slavery could be found in the New Testament. In fact, some masters became convinced that some of the best slaves—that is, those amenable to control by their white masters—were those who read the Bible...

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

Nearly twenty million Blacks were made captive over the span of nearly 300 years (1517-1840). A more conservative estimate is 14.6 million. They were crammed into ships like sardines into a can and brought across the Atlantic, from the Gulf of Guinea to the New World, in a trip called the Middle Passage. An estimated 12 million landed in Latin America and about 2 million were brought to the United States. Millions died resisting capture or as captives held in Africa waiting to be shipped out. Still others committed suicide. Others, beaten and too weak to continue the trek in the coffle (land convoy of slaves chained together) were abandoned to die...

Our Scripture verse for today is James 2:26 which reads: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

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, "Just as there are types and models of churches, there are also types of individuals and titles represented in the church. Names and titles are worthy of review and discussion for at least two reasons. First, names and titles can have both positive and negative impacts on behaviors, perceptions, and expectations within the church community. A person will behave in their personal and corporate lives according to what he or she thinks he or she is supposed to be. Secondly, names and titles need to be examined as to which are of biblical origin and the impacts of their use and misuse. This is critical because one reacts to the labels and behaves in conformity to what one believes the labels mean and connote. I believe that the extra biblical and non-biblical meanings given to several of the terms commonly used already have and continue to impede the overall impact and influence of the church community."

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 a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to look at the Mossi states.

Our second topic for today is "Christianity: A New Orientation Toward Existence, Part 1" 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 William A. Banks // AFRICAN RELIGION (PART 2)

Welcome to this special edition of The History of Black Americans and the Black Church podcast. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. In light of Black History Month, I want to share with you the biography of three of the most influential black Christians in history -- George Washington Carver, a scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor; Rosa Parks, the woman who sparked the Civil Rights Movement, and Ralph David Abernathy, a preacher and civil rights leader.

Our Scripture verse for today is Luke 4:18-19 which reads: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

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, "As one reads the writings and listens to the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one encounters an individual who loved and was deeply involved and committed to the institutional church. Overall, he saw the institutional church as a positive factor in the lives of Christians, yet on many occasions he was critical of both the "White Church" and the "Black Church" communities on certain dimensions. He did this because he wanted the institutional church to be better."

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 today is a continuation of some good work done for the "God In America" series titled "The Origins of the Black Church" which was aired by the Public Broadcasting Service. This is just a brief historical overview; we will delve into these topics in greater detail in upcoming episodes. // THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT (Part 2)

Our second topic for today is "The Religion of the Slaves: The Christian Religion Provides a New Basis of Social Cohesion, Part 4" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier.

Our third topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by William A. Banks. // AFRICAN RELIGION (PART 1)

Our fourth topic for today is a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to continue looking at the kingdom of Songhay.

Our Scripture verse for today is Romans 8:38-39 which reads: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

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, "As the 'Black Church' developed over time, there was carved out a powerful and unique role for the Black pastor. The Black pastor began to be perceived as, and was, a leader within both the local community and larger society. Historically, at least, the Black pastor was often the most educated and most articulate person within the community and was called upon to be its spokesperson."

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, HistoryBABC.com.

Our first topic today is a continuation of some good work done for the "God In America" series titled "The Origins of the Black Church" which was aired by the Public Broadcasting Service. This is just a brief historical overview; we will delve into these topics in greater detail in upcoming episodes.

Our second topic for today is "The Religion of the Slaves: The Christian Religion Provides a New Basis of Social Cohesion, Part 3" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier.

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

Our fourth topic for today is a continuation of our look at the earliest African states from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin. We are going to continue looking at Songhay.