The half century that followed emancipation was a crucial time for African Americans, most of whom had been slaves and were struggling with little reliable support and against determined opposition to attain the full promise of freedom. The church played a vital role in that struggle, providing spiritual comfort, social services, political leadership, and a strong sense of community. In Under Their Own Vine and Fig Tree, William E. Montgomery presents a comprehensive treatment of the black church and the southern environment in which it functioned from 1865 to 1900. What emerges from his...

Churches play a vital role in African American culture, and not just as houses of worship. They also stand at the center of the political, educational, and social lives of black Americans.
In "Black Churches in Texas, " Clyde McQueen catalogues 374 black congregations, each at least one hundred years old, in the parts of Texas where most blacks were likely to have settled--east of Interstate Highway 35 and from the Red River to the Gulf of Mexico. Ninety-nine counties are divided into five regions: Central Texas, East Texas, the Gulf Coast, North Texas, and South Texas. For each...

Churches play a vital role in African American culture, and not just as houses of worship. They also stand at the center of the political, educational, and social lives of black Americans.

In Black Churches in Texas, Clyde McQueen catalogues 374 black congregations, each at least one hundred years old, in the parts of Texas where most blacks were likely to have settled--east of Interstate Highway 35 and from the Red River to the Gulf of Mexico. Ninety-nine counties are divided into five regions: Central Texas, East Texas, the Gulf Coast, North Texas, and South Texas. For each...