Paper Topic:

IMAGES OF BLACK CHRISTIAN LEADERS: 1820 TO 1860

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Institutional Affiliation Goes Here As the antebellum period began America was approaching its golden anniversary as an

independent political state , but it was not yet a nation . There was considerable disagreement

among the residents of its many geographical sections concerning the exact limits of the

relationship between the Federal government , the older states , and the individual citizen . In this

regard , many factions invoked concepts of state sovereignty , centralized banking , nullification p

popular sovereignty , secession , all-Americanism , or manifest destiny However , the majority

deemed republicanism , social pluralism , and constitutionalism the primary characteristics of

antebellum America . Slavery , abolition , and the possibility of future disunion were considered

secondary issues

Cultural and social changes were sweeping the cities of America during the period

Industry and urbanization had moved the North toward a more modern society with an

unprecedented set of novel cultural values , while the South had essentially lagged behind in the

traditions of the 18th century . The mixing of traditional folkways with a more modern vision of

America had caused social influence , political authority , and traditional concepts of family to

become uncertain , unstable , and somewhat ambiguous (Volo Volo , 2004

The history and sociopolitical influence of the African-American church documents an

interminable struggle for liberation against the exploitative forces of European domination

Although Black religion is predominantly Judeo-Christian , its essence is not simply white

religion with a cosmetic face lift . Rather the quintessence of African-American spiritual-

mindedness is grounded in the social and political experience of Black people , and , although

some over the years have acquiesced to the dominant , many have voiced a passionate

demand for "freedom now " The history of the African-American church demonstrates that the

institution has contributed four indispensable elements to the Black struggle for ideological

emancipation , which include a self-sustaining culture , a structured community , a prophetic

tradition , and a persuasive leadership

The church of slavery , which began in the mid-eighteenth century started as an

underground organization and developed to become a pulpit for radicals like Richard Allen and

the platform for revolutionaries like David Walker . For over one hundred years , African slaves

created their own unique and authentic religious culture that was parallel to , but not replicative of

the slave-owner 's Christianity from which they borrowed . Meeting on the quiet as the "invisible

church " they created a self-preserving belief system by Africanizing European religion

Commenting on this experience , Alice Sewell , a former slave of Montgomery , Alabama , states "We used to slip off in de woods in de old slave days on Sunday evening way down in de

swamps to sing and pray to our own liking (Yetman , 1970 ,

. 263

During the late 1700s , when slavery was being dismantled in the North free Black

Methodists courageously separated from the patronizing control of the white denomination and

established their own independent assemblies . This marked the genesis of African-American

resistance as a nationally structured , mass-based movement . In 1787 Richard Allen , after

suffering racist humiliation at...

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