Transcript of opening remarks given at the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies October 18-19, 2024, conference at the University of LaVerne.
Dr. Kenneth B. Morris, Jr.
This year’s theme, “The Legacy of the Black Church,” resonates deeply with me. The Black Church has historically been a pillar of strength and resilience, not only as a place of worship but as a transformative force for social change in our communities. From the fight for civil rights to the ongoing pursuit of justice, the Black Church has led, advocated, and fostered a legacy of resilience, empowering individuals and communities to rise against oppression.
It’s an honor to be here today with my professor and colleague, Dr. Richard Rose, as we reflect on The Legacy of the Black Church, a legacy deeply woven into the fabric of my family’s story. As some of you may know, I am the great-great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great-grandson of Booker T. Washington and president of our family organization, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. My ancestors made profound contributions to the advancement of Black people in America, and their relationships with the Black Church played a vital role in shaping who they became.
I would like to take a moment to express my gratitude to Dr. Rose, whose leadership and scholarship have been invaluable in guiding the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies (ECBCS). As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ECBCS with this weekend’s conference, we recognize and honor your work, especially in the areas of religious pluralism and interfaith dialogue, which continues to inspire us all. Your commitment to this institution has helped us to understand the African American spiritual tradition and its connection to broader theological and social issues. We’re grateful for your meticulous attention to detail and tireless work over many years.
My great ancestor, Frederick Douglass, had an early connection to the Black Church, which began while enslaved. In 1839, a year after escaping slavery, Douglass received a license to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, which had emerged as a powerful institution for spiritual and social leadership. That license was more than just a recognition of his gift for oratory; it was a statement of faith in his ability to lead, teach, and inspire others to fight for freedom and equality. Douglass often said that his involvement in the AME Church gave him a platform for religious teaching and the moral and political fight against slavery. He understood that the pulpit was a place to mobilize people’s hearts and minds for action.
Frederick Douglass
In the case of my other great ancestor, Booker T. Washington, we see a different but equally significant connection to the Black Church. Washington attended Wayland Seminary, a Baptist institution in Washington, D.C., where he was educated academically and spiritually. The values he learned at Wayland, self-reliance, hard work, and faith, became central to his philosophy when he founded Tuskegee Institute in 1881. It’s important to note that Washington did more than just build Tuskegee as a place of education; he built it as a place of spiritual grounding. The Tuskegee Chapel was a building for worship and a center for community life, where students learned academic subjects and moral character through faith.
My ancestors understood that the Black Church was more than a religious institution; it was the heart of the Black community, a place of refuge, resilience, and resistance. Frederick Douglass saw the Black Church as a powerful force for liberation, while Booker T. Washington saw it as central to building an educated and morally grounded Black society. Their legacies remind us that the Black Church has been, and must continue to be, a place where faith meets action and a sanctuary where spiritual strength fuels the fight for social justice. And today, as we reflect on this remarkable legacy, we must ask ourselves: how can we, like Douglass and Washington, ensure that the Black Church once again becomes a force for positive change in our communities?
Frederick Douglass’s views on Christianity were both revolutionary and prophetic. In his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, published in 1845, he made a powerful distinction between the “slaveholding Christianity of this land” and the “pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ.” He condemned the former as a tool of oppression used to justify the brutal enslavement of Black people. Douglass did not mince words when calling out the hypocrisy of those who preached love and justice from the Bible while denying the basic humanity of millions. On the other hand, the Christianity Douglass admired embodied compassion, equality, and justice—values that directly opposed the state-sanctioned institution of slavery.
Douglass didn’t just critique American Christianity in his writings; he took his message abroad. In the early 1840s, he traveled to Scotland as part of the Send Back the Money campaign to pressure the Free Church of Scotland to return funds it had accepted from American slaveholders. Through his speeches, Douglass rallied people around the idea that no Christian institution could claim moral integrity while benefiting from slavery. His fiery speeches and agitation helped to galvanize international support for the abolition of slavery, and he made it clear that true Christianity, rooted in the teachings of Jesus, was fundamentally incompatible with the practice of slavery.
In contrast, Booker T. Washington’s relationship with religion focused on how Christian values could uplift and empower a community. At Tuskegee Institute, Washington emphasized his students’ moral and spiritual development alongside their academic and vocational training. He believed education was incomplete without a strong foundation of character and ethics rooted in faith. The Tuskegee Chapel, which Washington ensured was central to campus life, wasn’t just a place for worship but a symbol of the institution’s commitment to cultivating both the mind and the spirit. There, students were reminded of their moral responsibilities to themselves, their families, and their communities.
Booker T. Washington
Washington also invited clergy from various denominations to speak at Tuskegee, emphasizing that faith and moral grounding were essential for success, both personally and as a community. His leadership was deeply influenced by Christian values, especially those of humility, service, and perseverance. He often spoke about how faith could help the Black community rise above its challenges, reinforcing the idea that spirituality was not just about personal salvation but collective progress and social uplift.
In conclusion, the legacies of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington remind us that the Black Church has long been a space where faith and action converge, driving liberation, education, and community strengthening.
But their stories also challenge us today. They show us that every one of us has a role to play in carrying the legacy of the Black Church forward. We are the inheritors of a tradition that calls us to worship, fight for justice, stand up against oppression, and lift up those around us. Whether through education, community service, or simply living out the values of faith, integrity, and love in our daily lives, we each have the power to make a difference.
I urge you to reflect on how you can be a force for change in your communities. Like Douglass and Washington, let your faith inspire you to act with courage and conviction. The work isn’t finished. Freedom’s torch has been passed to us. The Black Church has historically been a source of spiritual strength, social justice, and resilience within our communities. While some may believe it has strayed from that role today, there is hope that the Black Church can reclaim its vital place, once again becoming a guiding force for change and inspiration, just as it has been throughout history.
Together, we have an obligation to continue this legacy, transform faith into action, and build a better world for future generations.