The Negro's Church

The Negro's Church

Benjamin Elijah Mays and Joseph William Nicholas

1933

This book is an analytic study of the importance and content of black churches from both urban and rural areas. Mays and Nicholson, both prominent religious figures within the black community, decided to conduct an intensive study of 609 urban churches and 185 rural churches. After their study, they were able to break down the history of black churches, their use and purpose, the responsibilities of a minister and many more subjects within the topic. The book also criticizes the sermons or teaching techniques of most black ministers for focusing on the "magical" aspect of religion rather than the sociological, political and racial ones. The authors believed that by making sure the religious sermons connected with the daily issues that black people faced, the black community would be more educated and more aware. The book says how churches became one of the few things black people could finally control.

This book is similar to The Color Purple in how the church became a place of coping and enduring sufferance for the black community including Celie. Celie turns to God in her times of hardship and abuse. The authors highlight on this by also showing that black people turned to the church during much discrimination and inhumane treatment.

Makeda Fekede

Mays, Benjamin Elijah & Nicholas, Joseph William. "The Negro's Church." Hathitrust. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.

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English

Russell & Russell

Text;Book

http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=miun.afz8332.0001.001;view=1up;seq=5