GESM111 - The Black Church

Discuss the evolution of the black church

• slaves encountered european christianity while already maintaining african practices

• black worship developed in white churches

  • held secret gatherings called the invisible church and independent black congregations

• racism developed in these churches→ institutional segregation → blacks start independent churches bc of this

  • blacks have more control over worship, leadership, music, etc.

  • without segregation→ blacks dont make indepndent church

Who is Reverand Richard Allen, and what was his imporant to the Black Church

• “founder” - richard allen - former ensalved methodist minister

  • founded bethel church in philadelphia in 1794

  • established African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denomination

• his leadership progressed independent black religious organization

• also compiled a hymnal (hymn book) for his congregation

• since black worshippers had their own church and practices

  • they could use musical expression to whatever their needs and plans for their faith was

  • freedom of expression regarding music

• running their own church gave them more freedom to shape its music

In addition to addressing religious matters, what other function did the black church serve?

• served as centers for mutual aid, education, community leadership, and cultural preservation.
• offered spaces where black ppl could network with proper authority despite exclusion elsewhere.
• music helped sustain solidarity and hope
• provided real community outside of worship (free of exclusion)

When and where was the first Camp Meeting? Describe the dynamics of the Camp Meeting.

• Red River, Kentucky, 1800 - first camp meeting
• Cane Ridge Kentucky, 1801 - first large revival
• what did they do there?
  • people camped their for multiple days to worship together
• important bc it allowed for circulation and diffusion of and development of African American Spirituals
  • significance of black spirituals
  • allowed enslaved africans to express faith, and hope.
  • cultural preservation thru singing, dance, and practice
  • freedom meant salvation thru christ and freedom from slavery

Describe some of the themes of the Spiritual

• expressed suffering, faith, salvation, hope, deliverance, and freedom.
• biblical stories like moses leading people out of bondage resonated with slaves trying to achieve freedom.
• musical style
  • call and response, repitition, improvisation, clapping, movement
  • there words may have meant seeking escape and salvation
  • but in real life, they hoped for freedom from slavery
  • salvation could have been escape from slavery