One of the most deserving discussions of topics related to the history of the struggle of the African American people for their dignity, identity and human rights is not even their protest actions or the difficulties they experienced. It would be interesting to focus on those practices that characterize African Americans as a single people with close inner ties and spiritual traditions. Family ties and religious beliefs are two themes that are particularly important in this context. Perhaps it was due to empathic giving in the family and spiritual circle that African Americans in the 19th century received hope and strength to fight further.
Religious movements among African Americans in the second half of the 19th century expressed their desire to separate from the white man’s Christian church. African American Protestantism is expressed in the need to find your true Christian god. But in doing so, the black missionary movements and Protestant black churches of the 1880s gave blacks independence and full self-government (White et al., 2016). Men and women divided positions in such a way that it worked for the harmonious construction of a small society. Within the African American church movement, not only education and basic social values ​​developed, but also real political life. Thus, church life for the African American people became the focus of both domestic and public life, strengthening and improving their unity.
The church institution in this context seems to be inextricably linked with the family institution, so that the spiritual forces given by the church helped the liberated families to cope with external difficulties. As a result of poverty, hunger and the constant need to relocate in search of work, the African American family has become both stronger and more flexible as a unit. Family ties could be broken for various social reasons, for example, the military, African Americans could even acquire new family ties. Economic needs expanded families by virtue of the need for unification and cooperation, changing concepts such as family and unity.
Work Cited
White, D. G., Bay. M., & Martin Jr., W. E. (2016). Freedom on my mind: A history of African Americans, with documents. Bedford.