This particular chosen essay outlines Du Bois experiences in the rural South on the history of black folks religion and its influential energy among the community and the country. Du Bois critiques the mission, the purpose, and the major players of the Negro church." />

Of the Faith of the Fathers


Du Bois poses four main questions in his essay for the reader to gain a more understanding of the study of the Negro churches:

1. What did slavery mean to the African?
2. What was his attitude toward the World and life?
3. What seemed to him good and evil, God and Devil?
4. Where went his longings and strivings and wherefore were his heart-burnings and disappointments?

I tend to agree with Du Bois statement; the answers to such questions can only be receive from a study of the Negro religion as a development of its gradual change over years from Emancipation. I also will have to agree with the differences of perception to the way Negro churches are directed for the cause for better equality leading to the Lord, in the hopes for the escape of the injustice of slavery. For example, Du Bois states in his essay the Methodists and Baptists are the leading religion institutions due to the loyal converting of the Negroes in the beginnings of the establishment. Du Bois hints the ability of the masses to covert so eagerly that if directed to the struggle of equality it would transform the daily life of the Negro.

Today as Du Bois notes, the religious center is a great power relaying to the social, intellectual, and economic platform in the country. He demonstrates such churches are really governments of men that hold the unit solidly together and to showcase the leadership role from preacher to the bishop status. In addition, the men are the idealist and the orator which places the men in the center of the church foundation.

A following question is asked for the reader to develop a sense of truth regarding the core reason why the Negro church became what it is today:

"What have been the successive steps of this social history and what are the present tendencies?"

Du Bois answers this question by stating that the history foundation of the Negro church did not originate in America, instead, the foundation shores of Africa. He outlines the tribe life of the headship of the chief and the potent influence of the priest. He also chronicles the similarities of religion as in the tribes of Africa to nature-worship with profound belief invisible surrounding influences both good and bad. When the slave trade started, thus, the influence of spiritual union of the tribe with the chief as the leader the acceptable transferring of

The copyright of the article Of the Faith of the Fathers in Writing from Harlem is owned by Nichel Anderson. Permission to republish Of the Faith of the Fathers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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