Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

This companion book to a PBS series looks at the history of the Black church beginning with the arrival of the first Africans in what is now the United States. Not surprisingly, the text is comprised of quotes from scholars and other eminent persons interviewed for the series. I really like Dr. Gates’ interviewing style, and I think I would have appreciated this content more in the television format.

This book’s strength is its close examination of the social, cultural, and political show more significance of the Black church in American culture. Its influence extends to all segments of the U.S. population. Gates writes of a tension between the customs that developed in the North, where practices seemed to emulate those of the white churches, and the South, where worship practices grew out of the praise houses of slaves. It seems that this tension still exists, and that there are still a variety of worship preferences within the Black church.

Dr. Gates and most of his interviewees seem to eschew the literal interpretation of Scripture. However, a 2021 Pew Research Center report on the “Religious beliefs among Black Americans” indicates that 44% of Black adults believe that the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally, 38% believe the Bible is the Word of God but should not be taken literally, and 16% believe the Bible was written by people. A majority of Black Protestants (56%) believe that the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally, while a majority of Black Catholics (57%) believe that the Bible is the Word of God but should not be taken literally. Education makes a difference as well. Nearly half (49%) of Black Americans with some college or less believe that the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally, while just 32% of Black American college graduates believe that the Bible is the Word of God and should be taken literally. Dr. Gates and most of his interviewees would seem to fall into the Black American college graduate category.

Dr. Gates writes from the perspective of a religious observer rather than an active church member. (In the epilogue he describes himself as an “avid spectator”.) It would be interesting to compare an “insider’s” (active churchgoer’s) view of the Black church and see how it might differ from the perspective offered here. show less

Gates writes in a scholarly, but never dry; informative, but never preachy style that gives his subject matter an excellent showing. This book is assembled from lectures Dr. Gates has given (revised many times over the years, in accordance with the kind of questions and responses he has received from his students) in his Harvard African American Studies courses. The basic topic here is how the Black community has worked toward acceptance, respect and identity through literacy and the arts show more since before the Civil War. He discusses in some detail the many sides of the question "What does it mean to BE African American?", including the evolution of both Black and white stances over time, and the moral, ethical and political complexities of even trying to define what it means to be Black in America. Exceptional, and difficult to process with a single reading, through no fault of the author. Highly recommended. show less

This memoir of childhood and very early adulthood is just excellent. Dr. Gates grew up in a small mill town in West Virginia, where he experienced the beginnings of desegregation without the trauma it generated in so many places. His childhood was a happy one, his colored community a strong support system for its members, and most of his interactions with white people unremarkable. When he left home for college in 1968, his horizons broadened and he became more worldly, more political, yet show more realized that the struggle for a full recognition of black identity ironically brought about a certain loss of the feeling of safety and security he had known growing up. This is a thought-provoking read from the perspective of a very thoughtful man. Highly recommended. show less

To the casual observer, it has become obvious that America needs more and deeper racial education and reconciliation. Many of the efforts focus their literature on social topics like being anti-racist. In this book, Gates offers a different take – a history of African-American religion. Religion and social justice understandably intermix in this tale. He provides us with a beautiful, cogent expression of how America got to its present situation. He also offers us hope for how we can show more continue to grow out of these roots.

Gates is a celebrated, elite academic scholar of African-American culture. His writing is accessible to the general reader yet filled with a careful selection of facts. He weaves this tapestry into a coherent, compelling story. He begins his conversation with the arrival of enslaved Africans into St. Augustine, Florida, in the 1500s (yes, before 1619). Focusing on the intersection of religious practice and culture, he continues this story through the remaining colonies. He includes slave rebellions, emancipation, failed Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and subsequent civil-rights efforts.

In talking about the church, he rightly includes Islam in the discussion. He talks about how black culture has never completely separated from the religious sphere, largely because of oppressing social factors. Important figures – including many females other accounts overlook – each have pericopes delving into their individual biographies and impacts. Gates is inclusive, but not to a fault. He grasps the main story of the black church and does not forget its impact.

To be frank, this book brought me to tears and also enlivened my soul. This book offers a deep account of how America came to where it is today. History offers a way of understanding ourselves so that we can reposition ourselves for the future without repeating past mistakes. It can also provide deep fonts of inspiration for that future. Gates offers us the full sweep of history with all its problems and its beauties. Readers of any and every color can use this work to educate themselves about current cultural trends through this poignant book. show less