There are many resources for learning about Black history in the US and specifically about Black history in the church at large, in the Episcopal Church, and in our own diocese.  You can explore a few of them below.  If you are interested in going deeper and participating in a group to study and discuss matters of racism and justice, please speak to the clergy.

The Episcopal Church’s calendar commemorates notable Christians of the past on most days of the year. Some of the commemorations in February are of Black Christians whose stories are compelling.  This brief blog post introduces them.

Two of the biggest names in early Black History in the Episcopal Church are Richard Allen and Alexander Crummell. Their remarkable stories are told in these brief videos.  There’s a 7-minute dramatization of Richard Allen’s story;  a 6-minute illustrated lecture about Alexander Crummell and his connection to England; and a 15-minute Union of Black Episcopalians video by EDOW’s own Gayle Fisher-Bailey about Crummell and his time in Washington.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the best-known of the United States’ faithful leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.  There is always more to learn about his life and legacy.  A good place to start is The King Center, a gfgffgs.  Here are links also to him reading his Letter from Birmingham Jail (60 minutes, with read-along text); to his final sermon, delivered at the Washington National Cathedral just days before his assassination (45 minutes); and to his ‘I have a dream’ speech (17 minutes).

Many discussion guides have been published to help frame the conversation about racism and faith. Just a few are represented here. If you are interested in forming or joining a discussion group, please speak to the clergy.  The Christian Century published this ‘Acting against Racism’ guide;  The Thoughtful Christian offers a 7-part study whose first session focuses on ‘Why is it so difficult to talk about racism?‘; the Episcopal Church laid out a program called ‘Becoming Beloved Community’ in 2018.  The main anti-racism program offered by The Episcopal Church is Sacred Ground, a 10-session study of films and readings.

The conversation about reparations in our own diocese is still underway.  You can learn about it on the diocesan reparations page.  The diocesan School for Faith and Leadership offers a free, on-demand two-session class where you can catch up and learn what is going on.

There are a wealth of PBS documentaries where you can learn about Black history in the United States and in the church.  If you contribute to your public broadcasting station, you should have access to any of them.  One notable one is The Black Church: this is our story, this is our song by Henry Louis Gates.  PBS has a whole section devoted to Black history and culture that you can explore here.