Found 61 collections related to African Americans -- Religion

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo ("made one") Church maintains full communion with the Armenian, Syrian, Indian, and Coptic Orthodox Churches, together known as the Oriental Orthodox Churches. In 1959, Abuna Theophilus, the Archbishop of Harar Province in Ethiopia, established the Western Hemisphere branch in New York, Jamaica, and Guyana. In 1990, a congregation was established in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and brought into the diocese. The Holy Trinity EOC Bronx assembly served as the headquarters of the Western Hemisphere and South Africa Archdiocese. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOC) in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Africa records (1939-1998) consist primarily of correspondence but also contain minutes; addresses and speeches by clergy; printed matter; some ephemera; a notebook of members' information (1970); and financial statements and documents (1956-1984). A significant portion of the correspondence (1993-1997) relates to tensions within the EOC generated by the installation of Abuna Paulos, an archbishop elected by the Holy Synod in Addis Ababa to replace Abuna Yesehaq, the Archbishop of the EOC in the Western Hemishphere and Southern Africa, and the Bronx EOC's legal challenge of Paulos's authority over the congregation and its property. The correspondence also records inquiries from persons interested in the liturgy of the EOC; general news of the EOC in Ethiopia, the United States and Caribbean; and needs of the EOC in South Africa. Also represented in the collection are correspondence and financial ledgers of the Ethiopian World Federation (1938-1970) and some records of the Ethiopian Students' Association in North America, including a list of Ethiopian students in the United States in 1965. less

Father Divine (aka George Baker) was an African American religious leader and founder of the Peace Mission movement. The Father Divine collection consists primarily of material related to the broadcasting of Father Divine's sermons and messages over two radio stations. less

The Church of St. Simon the Cyrenian held membership in the African Orthodox Church denomination. Under the leadership of Reverend Doctor William Russell Miller, its only pastor, the church was based in Brooklyn, New York from the 1940s through the 1970s. The records of the Church of St. Simon the Cyrenian span a thirty-year period (1940-1979) but contain significant gaps. There are two general ledgers (1947-1949, 1956-1978) documenting the finances of the church, and vestry records for the 1960s and 1970s, as well as marriage licenses (on index cards). Other records include church programs and announcements for fund raising events to benefit the church, letters, Miller's sermons, eulogies, and a few daily diaries noting Miller's appointments and other activities. less

Moorish Science Temple of America, is an U.S. religious movement founded in Newark, N.J., in 1913 by Timothy Drew (1886–1929), known to followers as Noble Drew Ali and also as the Prophet. Drew Ali taught that all Blacks were of Moorish origins but had their Muslim identity taken away from them through slavery and racial segregation. He advocated that they should "return" to the Islam of their Moorish forefathers, redeeming themselves from racial oppression by reclaiming their historical spiritual heritage. He also encouraged use of the term "Moor" rather than "Black" in self-identification. Many of the group's formal practices were derived from Muslim observances. This collection consists of materials collected by Allen Ahmed Bey for his research on the Moorish Science Temple in the United States. Included in the collection are legal briefs on the status of Moorish Nation Nationals (citizens) which contain a public declaration of national constitutional immunity. Also included are a number of documents on the history of the Moorish Nation and instructional manuals (lessons) for members. less

Temple Beth Ab Shalom was incorporated in 1972, with the principal place of worship in Wyandanch, Long Island, in New York. The temple relocated to Brooklyn in 1975, where it continues its mission. The Temple Beth Ab Shalom records include biographical sketches of the founders, lists of founding members and trustees, incorporation papers, lessons, programs, and membership rules. less

The collection documents some aspects of Samuel J. Martin's career as an Episcopalian minister and contains sermons, correspondence, writings,and printed material. Included is Martin's dissertation written for the Divinity School of the University of Chicago entitled "Significant Leaders in the Modern Religion and Health Movement, 1942". Correspondence and other material deals with the mental health movement and its relationship to religion. There are also manuscripts for his sermons and other religious writings. Printed material includes a St. Edmund's Church (Chicago) newsletter written prior to Martin's ordination as minister, 1926; a program celebrating the tenth anniversary of this church, 1938; the 1949 issue of "Advance," the Diocese of Chicago publication featuring St. Edmund's Church; a program dedicating the Dean Samuel J. Martin Annex of the Parochial School of St. Edmund's Episcopal Church, 1966; other publications about the Episcopal Church; and newsclippings regarding St. Edmund's Episcopal Church and biographical information about Martin. less

The records of the Sharp Street Memorial United Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland consist of three series: Financial Records, Minute Books and Reports, and Cemetery Records. The Financial Records series, 1913-1944, contains trustee reports with entries pertaining to the cemetery. Collection plate records and records of rallies for church projects are also included. The Minute Books and Reports series, 1911-1962, contains the minutes of the official boards and various church groups as well as affiliated organizations in which the church has had membership. The latter includes the Baltimore Preachers Meetings and the Women's Society of Christian Service, North Baltimore District. The Cemetery Records series, 1873-1993, is comprised of ledgers in which are entered cemetery lot owners, burial and death records. In many ledgers information on place of origin, date of birth, cause of death and physician's name has been indicated. Information on the lots include location and number of burials per site. A schematic drawing of the cemetery is also included. less

The J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Papers primarily document Smith's roles as author, pastor of the Allen Baptist Temple Church (ATBC) and his activities with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc (PNBC) as well as other church organizations. Over half of the papers document Smith's career during the 1970s and '80s as pastor of ATBC and president of the PNBC. Smith's papers include very little documentation on his career and professional activities during the 1950s and '60s, his vice presidency and presidency of the Progressive State Baptist Convention of California and Nevada headquartered in Los Angeles, or his first and second vice presidencies of the PNBC. less

Henry C. Bunton's papers consist of personal papers, writings, chaplaincy records, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church records, and correspondence. These papers principally document Bunton's role as a bishop with the C.M.E. Church. Church records consist of copies of sermons, office files, correspondence, denominational records, pamphlets and related material from his years in the ministry. Denominational records include correspondence with other bishops from the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church such as J. Claude Allen, Norris S. Curry, Chester Kirkendoll, Elisha P. Murchison, P. Randolph Shy, and P. Julian Smith regarding plans for meetings, annual conferences, expansion of the church and other church activities. There is also correspondence with individual pastors, and officers from the many member churches in Bunton's district regarding requests for assignments and transfers, securing property and other church business, as well as financial reports. Among the churches represented are Israel Metropolitan Church in Greenville, South Carolina; Mount Olive Cathedral in Memphis, Tennessee; and Russell Memorial Church in Durham, North Carolina. less

Printed material relating to the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) including programs and playbills from NANM and other small groups; and annual breakfast, convention and conference materials, and other records of the New York and New Jersey chapters of NANM and the National Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. Other material relating to concert performances by black artists consisting primarily of programs and playbills, scrapbooks, and news clippings. Also programs, playbills, news clippings, newsletters, and financial reports pertaining to the Thomas Music Study Club, founded by Blanche K. Thomas, which was affiliated with NANM since 1946. Papers of Glover and his wife, Martha Seabrook Glover, contain personal and professional correspondence, and documents concerning the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Free-Masonry, the Oddfellows, the Republicans and Democratic parties, church groups, the A. Philip Randolph Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund, the Patriotic American Society, the Harlem Cultural Council, and news clippings about Glover. Also, personal papers of Martha Seabrook Glover relating to the Seabrook family. less

The records of the First African Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia are divided into nine series: Church Minutes; Financial Records; Membership Records; Deeds, Leases and Legal Papers; Minutes of Boards and Associations; Sunday School Records; Baptist Young Peoples Records; Workers Council Records; and Church Histories, Printed Matter and Miscellaneous. less

The Ethiopian Hebrews Falasha Congregation, a black Hebrew congregation, was formed in the late 1950s in Brooklyn and disbanded in the late 1960s-early 1970s. In 1988 the congregation formed a burial society and now owns and operates the Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Fairview, New Jersey where members of the congregation are buried. The collection comprises: a list of members of the congregation, 1968, prepared by Rabbi Clifford A. Woods (includes a handwritten original and typed copy); a press release regarding a bazaar to raise money to furnish and equip a building for the congregation; photocopy of a letter from Iris R. Woods to Mrs. Roy, thanking her for assistance and gifts to the congregation; and a letter certifying purchase of a burial plot in Mt. Moriah Cemetery (1997). less

Edward Demby was the first black Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, his wife Antoinette M. Demby was a member of the first graduating class of nurses from Howard University's Freedmen's Hospital. Bishop Demby's collection, 1893-1957, consists of an autobiographical sketch, correspondence, 1930s-1950s sermons and scrapbooks of printed material including a golden anniversary scrapbook. Mrs. Demby's collection consists of a journal, 1901-1955, personal papers and several notebooks kept by her while a nursing student. less

The DuPree African-American Pentecostal and Holiness Collection was compiled by Sherry Sherrod DuPree during research for her "Biographical Dictionary of African-American Holiness Pentecostals" (Washington, D.C.: Middle Atlantic Regional Press, 1989). Mrs. DuPree is a research librarian at Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, Florida, a member of the Church of God in Christ, and the author of "Exposed!!! Federal Bureau of Investigation Unclassified Reports on Churches and Church Leaders" and "African-American Good News (Gospel) Music" (both Washington, D.C.: Middle Atlantic Regional Press, 1993). The DuPree African-American Pentecostal and Holiness Collection consists of original and secondary material documenting the history, beliefs, and activities of hundreds of Pentecostal and Holiness denominations, congregations, and individuals. The collection is arranged in four series: Denomination and Congregations, Individual Clergy and Evangelists, Subject Files, and Non-Pentecostal Material, and consists of news clippings, newsletters, journals, yearbooks, sermons, bulletins, brochures, programs, articles, theses, book excerpts, and other printed material. There is virtually no correspondence. less

Kohol Beth B'nai Yisroel, a Black Hebrew congregation, was founded by Rabbi Julius Wilkins, later known as Rabbi Yirmeyahu Yisrael, in 1947. In approximately 1964, Kohol merged with Congregation Mount Horeb, located at 1036 Reverend Polite Place in the Bronx, where it continues to function. The Kohol Beth B'nai Yisroel records consist primarily of minutes of the board of trustees, 1945-1960; membership and donation ledgers, 1946-1957; and a list of members who, in 1954, transferred to two other black Hebrew congregations: Congregation Mount Horeb in the Bronx and B'nai Adath Kol Beth Yisroel in Brooklyn. Additionally, the collection contains financial records and issues of the newspaper, The Jerusalem Chronicle, 1990-1991. less

The Leonidas H. Berry papers primarily document Berry's medical career. There is correspondence (1980-1988), speeches and honors (1969-1980s), and some material on the National Medical Association. There are scattered files dealing with his work with the A.M.E. Church health program, Cook County Hospital, the Narcotic Clinic he helped establish, and others. Writings include some draft sketches and research files for his book, I Wouldn't Take Nothin' for My Journey, and correspondence dealing with the promotion and reaction to it. Included with the writings is his textbook Gastrointestinal Pan-endoscopy and the manuscript of Clinical significance of Gastrointestinal endoscopy, an update for a series of pamphlets of which he was an editor. Berry's curriculum vitae and World War II Army papers provide some biographical information. less

Beth Elohim Hebrew Congregation is a Black Jewish congregation in New York City. It was founded in 1983 by Chief Rabbi Levi Ben Levy, Rabbi Sholomo Ben Levy, and the Levy family. Religious instruction is provided by a Sabbath School for Children and by Cushi Talmud Torah Hebrew School for Adults and Children. The synagogue is located in St. Albans, Queens in New York City. The Beth Elohim Hebrew Congregation records include: the certificate of incorporation; minutes of executive board meetings (1987-1993); correspondence with members, other congregations, and U.S. officials regarding involvement in the Gulf War of 1990-1991; and a file on the synagogue's Talmud Torah Hebrew School. There are files pertaining to the Ethiopian Hebrew organization known as the International Israelite Board of Rabbis, and copies of their newsletter, "Ha-Kol" (1989-1995), as well as the 1989 yearbook of the Israelite Rabbinical Academy, also based at the synagogue. News clippings about this congregation and other Ethiopian Hebrew congregations are included in the collection (1973-1993). less

The Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, one of the oldest and largest communities of Black Hebrews in the United States, was founded in Harlem in 1919, by Rabbi Wentworth Arthur Matthew (1892-1973). Though this congregation traces its origin to the activities of those who came to New York during the first waves of Black migration and immigration, it was in the post World War II years that the community took root. Rabbi Matthew created a number of auxiliary organizations, and today there are seven Black synagogues in the downstate New York area that trace their origins directly to Rabbi Matthew and his congregation. The synagogue is located in Harlem. The Commandment Keepers Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation records consist of several ledgers, including a photocopy of a record book listing members' names and addresses, births and deaths (1923-1959); and other membership ledgers providing individual financial records, worship, and Hebrew school attendance (1927-1959). The collection ledger lists amounts donated from 1974-1991. The collection also includes correspondence of Rabbi Matthew regarding dedication of the new synagogue in Harlem (1962) and speaking engagements in the Northeast (1968-1970). There is also a notebook listing members of various committees, along with notes about several services held at the synagogue (1948), a golden anniversary program (1966), and news clippings. less

George Weston papers consist of correspondence, writings, printed material, and clippings concerning his career, theology, and politics. One folder pertains to the Pro-Lad Paint company (Africa's Shadow Type Progressive Ladder Paint, Ltd.) and a paint to be made in Antigua especially for tropical climates. Biographical article on Weston by Lionel M. Yard, 1975, and sheet music and words by Weston for "Climbing Africa's Ladder." The Maudelle Weston series include programs and clippings pertaining to Mrs. Weston's career as a dancer during the 1940s-1960s. less

Theology in the Americas (TIA) was formed in 1974 to begin the process of exploring the meaning of liberation theology for North America. The Theology in the Americas records document the group's general organization, the two major conferences it sponsored, and its affinity groups. less

The Wyatt Tee Walker Papers consist principally of manuscripts of published and unpublished works, a few sermons and programs of events held at Canaan Baptist Church, including an anniversary souvenir journal. The manuscript titles are "The Scaffold of Faith," "Hush! Somebody's Calling My Name" (a history of the music of the African American religious experience), "Spirits that Dwell in Deep Woods," and "Past Traditions and its Meaning for Future Ministry.". less

The records of Zoar United Methodist Church are divided into four series: Delaware Conference; Delaware-Philadelphia District; Zoar United Methodist Church; and St. John's Church, Spring Lake, New Jersey. The Zoar Methodist Church series, largest of the four, is divided into seven subseries: history, vital records, organizational records, pastors, financial, legal, and bulletins and miscellaneous printed material. less

The Alexander and Shirlene Stewart Pentecostal collection provides information on four African-American Pentecostal denominations: Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, founded by Robert C. Lawson in 1919 in Harlem; Bible Way Church World Wide, founded by Smallwood Williams in 1927 as a Washington, D.C. congregation of Lawson's Church and incorporated as a denomination in 1957; Church of The Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, founded by Sherrod C. Johnson in 1933 after a split with Lawson; and United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God, founded in 1919 to assist missions. The collection contains miscellaneous programs, news clippings, correpondence, sermons, articles, journals, and other printed material, as well as a scholarly paper on missions by Alexander Stewart and response by Kenneth Gill. less