The Black Church

Published on January 16, 2024 • Last modified on February 1, 2024

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes viewers on a journey through the rich and complex history of the Black Church to reveal how this uniquely American institution has influenced nearly every chapter of the Black American story. Explore the Church’s profound impact on the evolution of American culture and history, and how it continues to animate black identity today.

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The Black ChurchEpisode 1

1:50:09

Published:

Expires: 2021-03-17

Rating: TV-14

Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of African American religion.

Episode Guide

Part 1
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of African American religion beginning with the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the extraordinary ways enslaved Africans preserved and adapted their faith practices from the brutality of slavery to emancipation.

Part 2
Discover how the Black church expanded its reach to address social inequality and minister to those in need, from the Jim Crow South to the heroic phase of the civil rights movement and the Black church’s role in the present.

More Information

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