The Black Church: The Moral Monday Movement

Since the arrival of African Americans in this country blacks have always had differing experiences. Consequently, African-Americans have had to forge a self-identity out of what has been passed on to them as fact about their true selves. History has wrought oppression and subjugation to this particular race of people and as a result, certain institutions were formed in order aid African-Americans, culturally, spiritually and economically. The African-American Church has served of one such institution. From the time of slavery, though outlawed, many slaves found ways to congregate and form their own "churches", away from the one-sided and bias lessons about the bible that they were being taught in the white church. The white ministers and

Conceptions of Civil Rights leadership are ostensibly tied to black preachers and respectable community leaders. However, the readings present a deviation from these conceptions and specifically consider the role of students, women, and non-Christians. The late 1950s and early 60s saw heightened black activism and increased visibility of the Civil Rights struggle. Grassroots mass mobilization and a focus on group-centered leadership became prominent facets of the movement, as did militancy and the necessity of violent protest.

The struggle to obtain gay and civil rights has been directly influenced by religion, either in a positive or negative way. More specifically, religion has served as a disadvantage to achieving gay rights and an advantage to those that participated in the civil rights movement. Contrary to the recent successes of the gay rights movement, there have been a lot of obstacles along the way and most of them have been due to religious beliefs and practices. Religion opposes gay rights, especially gay marriage on the basis that it immoral and unnatural, it is against the word of God and it is incompatible with religious beliefs, sacred texts, and traditions of many religious groups(Eskridge,15). On the other hand, religion more directly influences the outcome of the civil rights movement by providing a basis for unity among African Americans. The concepts and strategies of the civil rights movement alluded to Biblical stories and admonitions. The church provided a physical shelter for African Americans to congregate and organize marches, sit-ins and protests, but also a spiritual overlook that guided them to the freedom that they always deserved.

It gives one a close glimpse at what exactly kept them going strong in this period of mistreatment, and just how they were so spiritually strong even at their weakest physically. It was said to be that African-Americans established this “invisible institution” through signals, passwords, and other things. It was here in Church where they mixed their African rhythms, sang, and praised God.

Such unity and self-determination was evidenced in 1801, when Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church published a hymnal by and for African Americans (Costen, 81). Hymns have served black people in their everyday lives and had and have

Payne (African American studies, Northwestern Univ.) presents an illuminating examination of the Civil Rights movement at the local level, in this case Greenwood, Mississippi, in the 1960s. As Payne deftly grafts Greenwood's struggle onto the larger movement, he challenges several widely accepted conclusions, such as overemphasizing a core cadre of male leaders while overlooking the important contributions of women and youth and the belief that the black church was an early leader in the movement. Much of Payne's information is culled from oral interviews with actual movement from participants.

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.

There are so many views on how the African American community joined a massive movement called, “Christianity”. This religion has been a key role in the lives of the African-American since being bought over to America from the motherland of Africa. It is said that the white British men who kidnapped our ancestors, made them slaves and forced them to believe in this religion. In research, it is found that there were several polytheistic religions in African and Christianity was one. It is believed that when Christians were brought over from Africa, along with most of their own religions, some of them brought Christianity along with them, but those who believed in other religions were soon forced to convert to Christianity which they looked to freedom. During my studies, I came across a book entitled “The Talking Book” by Allen Dwight Callahan. In this book, he speaks about how the African American race accepted Christianity. One interesting story he spoke about in his book was when slave masters use to sit and read their bibles as the slaves were working. He said that while they were reading, the slaves would ask “What is that master?” and the slave owner would reply “the book is talking to me.” So, when the slave owner would leave, the slave would go pick up the book and put it to his ear to hear the book speak. While in Africa, their Christian belief was not molded by the words of a book, but rather the words of their ancestors. In

In The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice from the Civil Rights Movement to Today, Charles Marsh argues that the driving and sustaining force of the Civil Rights Movement and its successors was the Christian faith of its leaders. Throughout the novel, Marsh continuously shows how the Christian faith inspired and sustained leaders and everyday people; risking their lives, their family, and their job in hopes of the type of future that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached on. The Beloved Community tells both hopeful and discouraging stories within the larger history of social justice. Marsh makes clear that this history is still being written by those who take seriously their discipleship to Jesus. Hope, he claims, is the resounding

The history of religion in the United States comes a long way dating from the early 1600s when the first pilgrim settlers came to this country. It has been noted that these settlers were highly influenced by the Protestant faith which led to a community level of influence in this country as well. The faith of theses settlers were motivated from the New World of Europe where they practiced their religion in a peaceful environment. Later in history, it was noted that people of Spanish decent started the famous network of the Catholic missions in California. When California became a part of the United States, Catholic churches and institutes were formed. These churches and institutes were also formed in New Orleans and Louisiana.

There is an epidemic embracing young black males around the country, they have become victims of police brutality. In today’s society it is not uncommon for Black males to be unknowledgeable about how to interact with the police, or more importantly have an outlet to express their concerns regarding the issue. The Covenant of Black America, expresses this is an enormous problem throughout the African American community. Staunton’s population of Blacks is 12%, there is an even smaller population of Black high school. (Staunton City Census). Stanton’s school system also lack of Black teachers (Reverend Cornett-Scott). As a result of the insufficient numbers of Black allies, a lack of people working with the Black males as mentors and allies emerge.

A passage that argues for the church and other African-Americans to join in the fight for equality for women, especially African-American women.

John B. Vason, who was a local barber and a philanthropist, led a group of Blacks who met at Pittsburg’s African Church on January 1832.They. The purpose for their motives and plans was for blacks to be educated because it was a gateway to be equality. They state not allowing blacks to be educated causes “ the debase the mind, and subject it votaries to the lowest vice”(150). In addition, not being educated causes blacks to be degraded and put in bondage in the United States. They state that blacks are equally intellectual and “susceptible to improvement” as the white man. Furthermore, the state those blacks should have the right to purchase “books and periodicals”, they should have the right to raise money, to purchase ground, and a suitable

The civil rights movement was made up to give African Americans freedom that white citizens loved and took for granted, like eating in specific restaurants, voting, and going to churches that they wanted to worship in. African Americans suffered from beatings and arrest as a part of their everyday lives. The church gave African Americans hope and was a religious safe haven. During the time of slavery ancestors of African Americans looked to God for freedom which is why the love of religion is so strong. African American Christians saw the church as a safe place where they could be during the civil rights movement that provided moral and spiritual support. Most of the black communities had at least one church that provided them with spiritual,

Frederick Douglas wrote this speech to inform not just the African American communities about the hypocrisy of the church; he wanted to inform everyone on how prejudices Christians in the 19 centuries were towards black people. He wanted to enlighten the African Americans who follow Christianism blindly and don’t even realize that were being treated as if they were leapers. While the motto of the church is that everyone is equal in the place of worship and “love thy neighbor” is Jesus message to his followers. I think Frederic was trying to both inform and persuade the population about how religion played a huge factor in slavery or even was the cause of it. Religion, the church to be exact was really prejudiced toward the African American people and now they are the most loyal followers. To not believe in Jesus in black family is to be the devil child and be an outcast. I know this because now that I am learning the truth about religion Christianism I am having my doubts and questions. If I was in the audience during the time of the speech I would have been on his side and I would have look at the church differently.