A History of the African American Church

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The emergence of African American churches is explored through their origins in eighteenth-century evangelical revivals and their evolution through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Woodson's work serves as a crucial overview, detailing how Christian-based instruction influenced class divisions and leadership within the African American community. While he acknowledges the challenges of Christianity for the enslaved, he emphasizes its positive impact and the significant roles these churches played in education, social, economic, and political spheres post-Civil War, with limited focus on African-rooted spiritual practices.