Additional Resources
The readings provided here and at the end of each chapter are important in that they provide context for various dimensions of African American religion. They also offer greater detail concerning particular developments related to the nature and meaning of religion within African American communities. But books alone can't provide a full sense of what religion is and what it means to African Americans.
The late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries also offer a range of other resources just as informative. This section of the book gives a sampling of these alternative resources and encourages readers to combine these materials with the suggested books in order to get a more complex and layered understanding of what it means to be African American and religious. An effort has been made to provide sources that cut across the themes of the fourteen chapters, but this does not mean that every topic or key point is covered. What follows is far from complete, but it is enough to get readers started.
Click on the tabs below to view the content for each section.
Online Resources
These sites provide information concerning some of the religious traditions noted within the various chapters. They can be used to gather more detailed information concerning the beliefs and practices associated with particular traditions and their leaders. When navigating through these sites, pay attention to the questions and key points given at the end of the chapters to the book.
Websites
African Americans for Humanism: http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?page=index§ion=aah/
American Atheist: http://www.atheists.org/
American Humanist Association: http://www.americanhumanist.org/
African Methodist Episcopal Church: http://www.ame-church.com/
African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion: http://www.amez.org/news/index.php
African American Christians: www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org
African American Christians: www.blackandchristian.com
Ava Kay Jones (Voodoo): http://yorubapriestess.tripod
The Balm In Gilead: http://www.balmingilead.org/
Black Atheists of America: http://www.blackatheistsofamerica.org/history.htm
Black Manifesto: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1969/jul/10/black-manifesto/
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church: http://www.c-m-e.org/
Church of God in Christ: http://cogic.net/cogiccms/default/
Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ: http://covenantbaptistucc.org/?p=1294
Creflo Dollar Ministries: http://www.creflodollarministries.org/
Five Percent Nation: http://www.allahsnation.net/
Frederick Haynes: http://www.friendshipwest.org/pastor.html
Fred Price: http://www.faithdome.org/
Freedom from Religion Foundation: http://ffrf.org/
Hip Hop Culture: www.holyhiphop.com
Kwanzaa: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/NguzoSaba.shtml
Moorish Science Temple: http://www.moorishsciencetempleofamericainc.com/
Mr. Deity: http://mrdeity.com/
Nation of Islam: http://www.noi.org/
National Baptist Convention USA: http://www.nationalbaptist.com/
National Baptist Convention of America: http://www.nbcainc.com/
Oyotunji African Village: http://www.oyotunjiafricanvillage.org/?id=1
Potter’s House: http://thepottershouse.org/
Progressive National Baptist Convention: http://www.pnbc.org/PNBC/Home.html
Secular Student Alliance: http://www.secularstudents.org/
The Temple of Hip Hop: http://www.templeofhiphop.org/index.php?lang=en
Trinity Church’s Mission: http://www.trinitychicago.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20
Unitarian Universalist Association Statement on Racism: http://www.uua.org/multiculturalism/history/jtw/index.shtml
World Changers Church International: http://www.worldchangers.org/soponline/soplanding.html?site=CDM
Millions of people use Facebook as a way to connect, to share information about activities and beliefs that matter to them, and to communicate with the like-minded. The following pages provide information concerning some of the traditions from the book. Because information concerning humanism/atheism can be difficult to secure in certain ways, much of what follows revolves around humanism/atheism – particularly in its most ‘secular’ forms.
“African Americans for Humanism”
“American Atheists, Inc.”
“American Humanist Association”
“African American Atheists”
“African American Atheists Women”
“Anthony B. Pinn”
“Atheist Alliance International”
“Black Free Thinkers”
“Black Skeptics Group”
“Council for Secular Humanism”
“Freedom from Religion Foundation”
“Humanism”
“Humanist Chaplaincy of Harvard”
“Institute for Humanist Studies Think Tank”
“Moorish Science Temple of America”
“Nation of Islam”
“Nation of Islam Student Association”
“Radical Humanism”
“Secular Humanism”
“SGI-USA, Soka Gakkai International USA”
“Voodoo spiritual temple”
YouTube
Much information is available online from sites like YouTube that help to provide context as well as details concerning particular religious leaders and their thinking. The videos listed below provide conversations concerning topics related to the book – the civil rights movement, liberation theology, teachings of various traditions, and the role of women within religious communities (particularly with respect to preaching within Christian churches, which continues to be a debated issue).
Angela Davis on women and socio-political struggle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc6RHtEbiOA
Conversation with James Cone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1X5sZ6Q4Fw
Cornel West lecture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZzWWq_rQt8
Dialogue of Reason: Science and Faith in the Black Community: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7diwQ5dHZ0U
Honorable Elijah Muhammad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9cCInC_v3Q&feature=fvst
Jay Z on religion and other issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KiWG3neWXY
KRS-One, “Hip Hop Beyond Entertainment:
Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoAXsSoEcZw
Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtE5z5p1khI
Malcolm X, “Our History Was Destroyed by Slavery”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENHP89mLWOY
Mama Lola (Voodoo): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB0mUYpDeZg
Martin L. King, Jr., “I Have A Dream”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs
Moorish Science Temple: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tCn1PogXQQ
Oyotunji African Village: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-dPpPzDckE
Renita Weems: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pE59r8AuEc
Teresa L. Fry Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI5Ivj8RrtU
Warith Deen Muhammad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFmb6bMUGzQ
Documentaries and Movies
Many of the topics and key points found in this book are explored in important and helpful ways through documentaries and films. The following is just a small sampling. Your school library, or public library, will have information concerning other possibilities.
African presence in the Americas: “Sankofa,” Mypheduh Films, Inc., 1993
African presence in North America: “Roots,” Warner Home Video, 2007
African Americans: “Black Is ... Black Ain’t,” Docurama, 1991
African-based traditions: “Daughters of the Dust,” Kino Video, 2000
Black Power: “What We Want, What We Believe: The Black Panther Party Library,”
Eclectic DVD Dist., 2006
Civil Rights Movement: “Freedom Riders,” PBS, 2011
Civil Rights Movement: “Eyes of the Prize,” (Box set) PBS, 2010
Civil Rights Movement: “4 Little Girls,” HBO Home Video, 2001
Hip Hop Culture: “The Hip Hop Project,” Image Entertainment, 2010
Hip Hop Culture: “Wildstyle,” Rhino Home Video, 2007
Humanism/Atheism: “The Atheism Tapes,” Alive Mind, 2008
Humanism/Atheism: “Religulous,” Lion Gate, 2009
Nation of Islam: “Malcolm X,” Warner Home Video, 2005
Nation of Islam: “The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Saviour’s Day, 1974,”
CreativeSpace, 2009
Santeria: “The Believers,” MGM, 2002
Santeria: “Misterios,” earthods, 2005
Voodoo: “Voodoo Secrets,” A & E Home Video, 2006
Voodoo: “Divine Horsemen: The Living God’s of Haiti,” Microcinema, 2007
Music
The importance of rap music for hip hop culture in particular, and religion as well as public life in general, is undeniable. While there are written materials available from various artists, the best way to get a sense of the themes and key points is to actually turn to the music – the sound and words – that combine to make rap music. What follows is just a small sampling related to the three types of rap music mentioned in Chapter 13.
Arrested Development, “3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of …” Capitol, 1992
Common, “Resurrection,” Relativity, 1994
De La Soul, “3 Feet High and Rising,” Tommy Boy, 2001
DC Talk, “Free At Last,” EMI CMG, 2009
DC Talk, “Jesus Freak,” Virginia Records America, Inc., 1995
Dr. Dre, “The Chronic,” Death Row Koch, 2001
Eric B. and Rakim, “Paid in Full,” Island, 2005
Fugees, “The Score,” Sony, 1996
Gil Scott-Heron, “Very Best of Gil Scott Heron,” Sony BMG Europe, 2009
Gospel Gangstaz, “The Exodus,” Native Records, 2002
Gospel Gangstaz, “I Can See Clearly Now,” Gospocentric, 1999
Greydon Square, “The Kardashev Scale,” Grand Unified Productions, 2011
Greydon Square, “The Compton Effect,” Grand Unified Productions, 2007
Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, “The Greatest Hits,” Sanctuary, 2006
Jay Z, “The Black Album,” Roc-A-Fella, 2003
Kurtis Blow, “The Best of Kurtis Blow,” Island/Mercury, 1994
Last Poets, “Chastisement,” JDC Records, 1989
Lecrae, “Rebel,” Central South Dist., 2008
L.L. Cool J, “All World: Greatest Hits,” Def Jam, 1996
Lupe Fiasco, “Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool,” Atlantic, 2007
Mos Def, “Black on Both Sides,” Rawkus/Umgd, 2002
“Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star,” Rawkus/Umgd, 2002)
Naz, “Illmatic,” Sony, 1994
Notorious B. I. G., “Greatest Hits,” Bad Boy, 2007
NWA, “Straight Outta Compton,” Priority Records
Poor Righteous Teachers, “New World Order,” Profile, 1996
Poor Righteous Teachers, “Black Business,” Profile, 1993
Public Enemy, “It Takes a Nation of Millions,” Def Jams, 1988
The Roots, “Phrenology,” MCA, 2002
Run DMC, “Greatest Hits,” Arista, 2002
Scarface, “Greatest Hits,” Virgin Records US, 2002
Slick Rick, “The Art of Storytelling,” Def Jam, 1999
Snoop Dogg, “Doggystyle,” Death Row Koch, 2001
Talib Kweli, “Beautiful Struggle,” Rawkus/Umgd, 2004
Tupac Shakur, “Greatest Hits,” Interscope Records, 1998
Tupac Shakur, “Makaveli: The Don Killuminati,” Death Row Records, 1996
UGK, “Best of..,” Jive, 2003
Wu-Tang Clan, “Enter Wu-Tang,” RCA, 1993
X-Clan, “To the East Blackwards,” Fontana Island, 1990