African-American African-American ChurchesChurches

Resistance, Survival, Resistance, Survival, SpiritualitySpirituality

African American African American Christian DenominationsChristian Denominations

• AME - African AME - African Methodist Episcopal Methodist Episcopal

• AME - African AME - African Methodist Episcopal Methodist Episcopal ZionZion

• CME - Christian CME - Christian Methodist EpiscopalMethodist Episcopal– formerly “Colored”formerly “Colored”

• BaptistBaptist

• COGIC - Church of COGIC - Church of God in ChristGod in Christ

• Black EpiscopaliansBlack Episcopalians• FBHC - Fire Baptized FBHC - Fire Baptized

Holiness Church of Holiness Church of Jesus Christ of the Jesus Christ of the AmericasAmericas

• Holiness/Pentecostal Holiness/Pentecostal TraditionsTraditions

African Americans African Americans Christian Traditions Christian Traditions

• Baptists, Methodists, and to a lesser Baptists, Methodists, and to a lesser extent Episcopalians sought to extent Episcopalians sought to convert Africansconvert Africans– Episcopalian was introduced circa 1620Episcopalian was introduced circa 1620– African Methodism started in 1787African Methodism started in 1787– Baptist churches had African Baptist churches had African

membership around 1772.membership around 1772.

The Black BaptistThe Black Baptist• The slave preacher was The slave preacher was

a prominent role in early a prominent role in early Black Baptist history.Black Baptist history.

• Over a period of time Over a period of time more and more Africans more and more Africans became Baptists.became Baptists.

• One of the early Black One of the early Black Baptist preachers was Baptist preachers was George Liele if Georgia.George Liele if Georgia.

• He assembled one of the He assembled one of the first African American first African American Baptist congregations in Baptist congregations in North America at Yama North America at Yama Craw near Savannah.Craw near Savannah.

http://www.savannahnow.com/features/150years/week15/images/liele.jpg

Early on historyEarly on history

• The African American The African American Baptist churches were Baptist churches were organized into either organized into either “single-purpose entities” “single-purpose entities” called societies or called societies or “multipurpose entities” “multipurpose entities” called called conventions/denominations.conventions/denominations.

• The main purpose of the The main purpose of the societies was to evangelize societies was to evangelize Africa.Africa.

• As a result Baptist had As a result Baptist had quite a bit of missionary quite a bit of missionary activity. activity.

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/asrc100.html

Societies and Societies and Conventions uniteConventions unite

• In 1840 American In 1840 American Baptist Missionary Baptist Missionary Convention (ABMC) at Convention (ABMC) at Abyssinian Baptist Abyssinian Baptist Church of NY was the Church of NY was the first multipurpose first multipurpose organization to develop.organization to develop.

• The Northwestern and The Northwestern and Southern Baptist Southern Baptist Convention (NWSBC) Convention (NWSBC) was reconstituted as the was reconstituted as the Western Colored Baptist Western Colored Baptist Convention in 1864.Convention in 1864.

http://www.monastereo.com/church/images/abyssinianbldg.jpg

• The convention The convention was made up of was made up of churches from churches from Indiana, Illinois, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Mississippi, Louisiana and Louisiana and Tennessee.Tennessee.

http://www.seacoastnh.com/blackhistory/res/bapchurch.gif

ABMC and NWSBC uniteABMC and NWSBC unite• In Richmond VA of In Richmond VA of

1867 ABMC and the 1867 ABMC and the NWSBC joined to form NWSBC joined to form the Consolidated the Consolidated American Baptist American Baptist Missionary Convention Missionary Convention (CABMC)(CABMC)

• Although the CABMC Although the CABMC was at best a loose was at best a loose federation of churches federation of churches some within the some within the arrangement attempted arrangement attempted to coalesce into a more to coalesce into a more integrative Church.integrative Church.

•

http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/dubois/dubois.html

Resistance to ChangeResistance to Change• Some in the Some in the

“arrangement” resisted “arrangement” resisted change and saw their change and saw their particular constituents particular constituents loosing power as loosing power as opposed to helping the opposed to helping the interests of the black interests of the black Baptist.Baptist.

• At the convention 1879 At the convention 1879 of the CABMC voted to of the CABMC voted to disband although some disband although some had desired the CABMC had desired the CABMC to become “a Church to become “a Church with the soul of the with the soul of the nation.”nation.”

http://www.artsofcitizenship.umich.edu/sos/topics/african/afamassociations.html

Black Baptist Black Baptist OrganizationsOrganizations

• In 1880 the Baptist In 1880 the Baptist Foreign Mission Foreign Mission Convention (BFMC) was Convention (BFMC) was founded; however, they founded; however, they operated more like a operated more like a society despite its name society despite its name with foreign missions with foreign missions being their primary goal.being their primary goal.

• The American National The American National Baptist Convention Baptist Convention (ANBC) was founded in (ANBC) was founded in 1886 which was formed 1886 which was formed along the convention along the convention model.model.

http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/stagser/s1259/121/6050/html/12414200.html

Black Baptist Black Baptist Organizations (con.)Organizations (con.)

• In 1892 the National In 1892 the National Baptist Educational Baptist Educational Convention (NBEC); it Convention (NBEC); it grew out of the ANBC grew out of the ANBC committee to establish a committee to establish a National Baptist National Baptist University whose University whose purpose was to develop purpose was to develop educated black Baptist educated black Baptist clergy.clergy.

• Often these Often these organizations would organizations would meet in the same city meet in the same city and have their meetings and have their meetings at the same time.at the same time.

http://www.aaregistry.com/eimage/http://www.aaregistry.com/eimage/FirstBaptistChurchGeorgetown.gifFirstBaptistChurchGeorgetown.gif

National Baptist National Baptist Convention NBCConvention NBC

• The BFMC, ANBC The BFMC, ANBC and the NBEC met and the NBEC met in Atlanta in 1895 in Atlanta in 1895 to join and form to join and form the National the National Baptist Baptist Convention.Convention.

Multiply by Dividing Multiply by Dividing

• The group had its first schism in The group had its first schism in 1897 when some members 1897 when some members complained about certain issues in complained about certain issues in the new denomination and a group the new denomination and a group formed the “single purpose Lott formed the “single purpose Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention.”Carey Foreign Mission Convention.”

• In 1915 some members wanted to In 1915 some members wanted to incorporate the group others did incorporate the group others did not; this created another schism.not; this created another schism.

More DivisionsMore Divisions

• The National Baptist The National Baptist Publishing Board (NBPB) was Publishing Board (NBPB) was incorporated in 1898.incorporated in 1898.

• The National Baptist The National Baptist Educational Board (NBEB) Educational Board (NBEB) was incorporated in 1902.was incorporated in 1902.

• The Benefit Board was The Benefit Board was incorporated in 1912.incorporated in 1912.

• The leader of the NBPB The leader of the NBPB thought that the incorporation thought that the incorporation of the NBC was an attempted of the NBC was an attempted to seize the property of the to seize the property of the NBPB; he broke away with NBPB; he broke away with other black Baptists in 1915.other black Baptists in 1915.

http://www.nationalbaptist.com/about/nbpbhistory.htmhttp://www.nationalbaptist.com/about/nbpbhistory.htm

Rival GroupRival Group

• The defection The defection opposed opposed incorporation of the incorporation of the NBC and formed NBC and formed another convention.another convention.

• The result was The result was National Baptist National Baptist Convention of Convention of America, America, Unincorporated, and Unincorporated, and the National Baptist the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Convention, U.S.A., Incorporated.Incorporated.

Progress Comes at a Progress Comes at a PricePrice

• In 1960 certain members In 1960 certain members advocated that the advocated that the Convention be used to assist Convention be used to assist in the Civil Rights movement. in the Civil Rights movement. When one of the advocates When one of the advocates ran for presidency he was ran for presidency he was defeated. The “progressives”, defeated. The “progressives”, as they were known which as they were known which included such clergy as MLK, included such clergy as MLK, Garner C Taylor, although Garner C Taylor, although defeated formed their own defeated formed their own group called the Progressive group called the Progressive National Baptist Convention National Baptist Convention in September of 1961.in September of 1961.

http://www.pnbc.org/indexmain.htm