yolandaPIERCE
Fall 2018
@Howard University School of Divinity
African American Religious History
Fridays
Fall 2018
This course charts the history of religious life among African Americans in their journey from enslavement to freedom. It begins with a study of traditional African religions, African retentions in Christianity, and the impact of Western Christianity on African-Americans. The course examines lesser-known African-American religious expressions, including: Islam; Santeria; Voodoo; the Black Israelite movement; and Afro-Caribbean magic and folk beliefs. A historical look at various religious figures, including Father Divine, Marcus Garvey, and Daddy Grace, as well as various socio-political movements, including Black Power, Civil Rights, and Black Lives Matter, will round out the course. And finally, particular attention will be paid to the issues of slavery, racism, sexism, and institutional oppression within the contemporary African-American religious experience.
