We commemorate Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday on January 15 with a list of books that turn to Rev. King's practice as a Baptist minister and how his beliefs and faith directed his civil rights activism. Rev. King came from a family of Baptist preachers and was educated at Morehouse College, where his mentor was Benjamin Mays, a social gospel activist. Rev. King then attended Crozer Theological Seminary and earned his theology doctorate at Boston University.
The phrase "Black Church" has emerged as a way to acknowledge the importance of institutions of organized religion to African Americans throughout history. With roots spanning continents and centuries, Africans had been indoctrinated into Christianity primarily through slavery. "Those enslaved persons who accepted Christianity found ways to make the new religion their own, infusing the religion of their captors with their African spirituality. There is no Black Church without music and dancing—never was, never will be—and the drum and dance would be unifying forces of Black forms of worship, expressing adulation and exaltation, signifying inheritance and belonging." (Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)
This unique religious expression has defined the Black Church as a long-standing cultural force throughout history, leading to its prominence in African American communities. Al Sharpton said, "The Black Church was more than just a spiritual home. It was the epicenter of Black life." Businesses, education, and political movements throughout the African American community can trace their pathways back to the church.
Rev. King's spiritual home in the Black Church was a natural setting for organizing civil rights amongst congregations. Later, as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Rev. King toured Black Churches throughout the country. Many of Rev. King's touchstone sermons addressing racial equality and voting rights were first given at Sunday services.
Below, you will find a list of suggested books giving the combined story of Rev. King and the Black Church.
Recommended Reading
Baptist minister, civil rights and nonviolent activist, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for unlawful political protests against racial segregation. On April 16, 1963, he wrote an open letter to the world, stating there is a moral obligation to break unjust laws, in nonviolent ways, instead of waiting forever for justice to come through the legal system.
