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After Slavery When the Civil War ended, the slaves were free. They were no longer completely subject to the will of their white owners. Life changed dramatically. But in many ways, their religious practices stayed the same. In their new lives, African Americans no longer had to practice their faith in secrecy. They could practice in the open and often had the help of white missionaries and educators. Hence, black churches began to spring up both in the North and in the South. In their own churches, African Americans were able to worship in their own way, and to develop their own theologies. The first African-American denominations actually began long before the Civil War, in 1786. In that year, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones were dragged out of their predominantly white Methodist church because they accidentally sat in the wrong section. They left and founded the Free African Society. In 1787 Jones and Allen split, Jones forming the African Protestant Episcopal church and Allen forming what would eventually become the African Methodist Episcopal church. After the Civil War, these denominations began to spread to the South. Many black Methodist churches were founded, as well as black Baptist churches. To this day, most African-American Christians belong to either Baptist or Methodist churches.
The church is, in many ways, the center of the African-American community. In the post-Civil War years, and even well into the twentieth century, African Americans were discriminated against harshly in most areas of the country. It was extremely difficult, if not impossible, for African Americans to become wealthy or to have any power. For many years, they were not even allowed to vote. So the church became one of the very few areas where African Americans could take any leadership roles or exercise any authority. The church was one of a very few things that they could call their own. So in addition to being the source of their spiritual hope, the church also became the source of much material hope. The black church has continued in this role to the present day, working hard to improve the situation of the nation's African-American communities. Today black churches work to end material suffering by providing aid to the poor and also by becoming active in the political arena. Black theologies have developed, which identify God with the African American and claim that God is working to aid the oppressed. The church remains one of the main sources of hope and joy for many African Americans. Even as the world around them changes, faith stays central to African-American life.
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The Transatlantic Slave Trade Quiz | Resources
| Sponsors | Home Age of Exploration Make some discoveries of your own in this guide to 1000 years of maritime exploration. learn more USS Monitor: History and Legacy This Civil War ironclad was a technological marvel; explore her continuing story. learn more Chesapeake Bay: Our History and Our Future From the Powhatan Indians to modern shipbuilding, explore the character of the nation's largest estuary. learn more Captive Passage: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Making of the Americas They arrived in chains, but their contributions have forged new links in the history of the Americas. learn more Battle of the Atlantic: Allied Naval Intelligence in World War II While German U-boats wrecked havoc on merchant shipping in the Atlantic, Allied intelligence worked diligently to break the enemy's communication codes. learn more Birth of the Navy Follow the US on its journey to becoming the world's leading naval power. learn more Women and the Sea She used to remain on shore, but today, she captains the ship. learn more ![[ Navigation Bar ]](../../resources/navigation.gif){kind=small}
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