#Gullah Geechee community

[ausetkmt]

Black Residents Of Gullah-Geechee Enclave In Georgia Angered After Zoning Changes Pose Threat To Their Community

This small enclave is home to a majority of Black residents who are members of the Hogg Hummock community, which is also sometimes referred to as Hog Hammock. According to The Cultural Landscape Foundation, “Hog Hammock was one of fifteen African American Saltwater Geechee settlements on Sapelo Island, Georgia.

The Geechee are descendants of enslaved West Africans brought to work on Sea Island plantations along the Atlantic coast.” Sapelo island is located approximately 60 miles south of Savannah, Georgia and is only reachable by boat.

Almost three decades ago, the county adopted the zoning restrictions, “with the stated intent to help Hogg Hummock’s 30 to 50 residents hold on to their land,” the Associated Press reports.

But the McIntosh County’s elected commissioners recently voted 3-2 vote to change the restrictions. Now, Black residents fear that wealthy buyers will be prioritized over them, which could lead to increases in taxes.

Residents also anticipate this could cause them to be pressured to sell their land, most of which has been in their family for generations.  Atlanta resident Yolanda Grovner originally had a plan where she would ultimately retire on her island native father’s land that he owns in Hogg Hummock, but now she worries this might not be able to happen. Yolanda’s father George Grovner attended the meeting wearing a sticker, which read “Keep Sapelo Geechee,” in defiance of these planned zoning changes.

“It’s going to be very, very difficult,” said Yolanda, continuing, “I think this is their way of pushing residents off the island.”

In recent years, the population on Hogg Hummock has been shrinking because some families have sold their land to outsiders. David Stevens, Chairman of the Commission, said he’s been a visitor on Sapelo Island since the 1980s, and places the blame for these changes on those who are selling their land.

This could be partly true, as the vote followed new construction builds. The commissioners ruling “raised the maximum size of a home in Hogg Hummock to 3,000 square feet (278 square meters) of total enclosed space. The previous limit was 1,400 square feet (130 square meters) of heated and air-conditioned space,” per the Associated Press.

Stevens stated, “I don’t need anybody to lecture me on the culture of Sapelo Island.” “If you don’t want these outsiders, if you don’t want these new homes being built...don’t sell your land,” Stevens concluded.

But the remaining residents have vowed to keep fighting these ordinance changes, and it’s not a new phenomenon for them to fight with the local government either. In 2012, dozens of residents and landowners were able to successfully appeal property tax increases.

In addition, many have spent years “fighting the county in federal court for basic services such as firefighting equipment and trash collection before county officials settled last year,” writes the Associated Press.

Maurice Bailey is a native of Hogg Hummock whose mother Cornelia Bailey had deep roots to the island. Bailey was a Sapelo Island celebrity, keeping the community’s voice alive with her storytelling before she died in 2017. Maurice said, “We’re still fighting all the time,” adding, “They’re not going to stop. The people moving in don’t respect us as people. They love our food, they love our culture. But they don’t love us.”

Some legal experts have hinted at due process violations as well as concerns about encroachment under the equal protection clause.

This issue becomes more complicated given the racial demographics of the county. Hogg Hummock is on the National Register of Historic Places, and in order for the Gullah-Geechee community to receive protections “to preserve the community, residents depend on the local government in McIntosh County, where 65% of the 11,100 residents are white,” says the Associated Press.

[kemetic-dreams]

Historians from Southern Illinois University in the Africana Studies Department documented about 20 title words from the Kikongo language are in the Gullah language. These title words indicate continued African traditions in Hoodoo and conjure. The title words are spiritual in meaning. In Central Africa, spiritual priests and spiritual healers are called Nganga. 

In the South Carolina Lowcountry among Gullah people a male conjurer is called Nganga. Some Kikongo words have a "N" or "M" in the beginning of the word. However, when Bantu-Kongo people were enslaved in South Carolina the letters N and M were dropped from some of the title names. For example, in Central Africa the word to refer to spiritual mothers is Mama Mbondo. In the South Carolina Lowcountry in African American communities the word for a spiritual mother is Mama Bondo. In addition during slavery, it was documented there was a Kikongo speaking slave community in Charleston, South Carolina

[itsstillsweetiebythealtar]

I am once again asking for y’all help.

I recently shared a petition started by the Gullah Geechee coalition in order to stop construction on St. Helena island that would not only displace the Gullah Geechee community but have a detrimental impact on the environment.

Well now a portal has been opened to send emails directly to the Beaufort County Planning Commission, all you have to do is fill out your name, address, and email.

The form will send out a pre-written email, you do NOT have to write anything yourself.

Here is the link.

[miscmagpie]

Absolutely shattered by the tragedy on Sapelo Island, GA yesterday.

It's a very small community of Gullah Geechee people and the ferry gangway collapsed at the end of a day of cultural celebration.

At least seven people are dead. More are missing or in critical condition.

I don't know of alternative links for aid at this time, but I know the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society has a donation link for their organization at the bottom of the page and can use all of the help they can get.

The community of Hogg Hummock itself is mostly compromised of older residents on fixed incomes, so any assistance to help them get through this tragedy would be a big help.

[not-so-superheroine]

i am canceling the supreme court.

they act like they're gods.

no worldly so-called "justice" is a god of mine.

they need to be overthrown, somehow. no votes so, easier said than done.

checks and balances, my rear end.

more like appointed oligarchs too big for their britches.

[trendynewsnow]

Tragedy Strikes Sapelo Island Festival: Community Mourns Loss

A Tragic Day on Sapelo Island On a beautiful day at Sapelo Island, nestled just off the enchanting curve of the Georgia coast, a community gathered to celebrate resilience—a tribute to a people and a culture that has endured fragility for generations without ever being broken. The air was filled with the enticing aroma of smoked mullet, while vendors offered delicious plates of red peas and rice.…

[southernmermaidsgrotto]

Hoodoo, Rootwork and Conjure sources by Black Authors

Because you should only ever be learning your ancestral ways from kinfolk. Here's a compilation of some books, videos and podcast episodes I recommend reading and listening to, on customs, traditions, folk tales, songs, spirits and history. As always, use your own critical thinking and spiritual discernment when approaching these sources as with any others.

Hoodoo in America by Zora Neale Hurston (1931)

Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston (1936)

Tell my horse by Zora Neale Hurston (1938)

Let Nobody Turn Us Around: An African American Anthology by Manning Marable and Leith Mullings, editors (2003)

Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition by Yvonne P. Chireau (2006)

African American Folk Healing by Stephanie Mitchem (2007)

Hoodoo Medicine: Gullah Herbal Remedies by Faith Mitchell (2011)

Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System by Katrina Hazzard-Donald (2012)

Rootwork: Using the Folk Magick of Black America for Love, Money and Success by Tayannah Lee McQuillar (2012)

Talking to the Dead: Religion, Music, and Lived Memory among Gullah/Geechee Women by LeRhonda S. Manigault-Bryant (2014)

Working the Roots: Over 400 Years Of Traditional African American Healing by Michele Elizabeth Lee (2017)

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston (2018)

Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals by Luisa Teish (2021)

African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions by Lucretia VanDyke (2022)

These are just some suggestions but there's many many more!! This is by no means a complete list.

I recommend to avoid authors who downplay the importance of black history or straight out deny how blackness is central to hoodoo. The magic, power and ashé is in the culture and bloodline. You can't separate it from the people. I also recommend avoiding or at the very least taking with a huge grain of salt authors with ties to known appropriators and marketeers, and anyone who propagates revisionist history or rather denies historical facts and spreads harmful conspiracy theories. Sadly, that includes some black authors, particularly those who learnt from, and even praise, white appropriators undermining hoodoo and other african and african diasporic traditions. Be careful who you get your information from. Keeping things traditional means honoring real history and truth.

Let me also give you a last but very important reminder: the best teachings you'll ever get are going to come from the mouths of your own blood. Not a book or anything on the internet. They may choose to put certain people and things in your path to help you or point you in the right direction, but each lineage is different and you have to honor your own. Talk to your family members, to the Elders in your community, learn your genealogy, divine before moving forwards, talk to your dead, acknowledge your people and they'll acknowledge you and guide you to where you need to be.

May this be of service and may your ancestors and spirits bless you and yours 🕯️💀

[ptseti]

The Gullah people are descendants of African slaves who live primarily on the Sea Islands and coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and parts of Florida and North Carolina. Brought to the region from West Africa in the 18th century for their agricultural expertise, especially in rice cultivation, they developed a unique culture influenced by their African heritage and isolation from the mainland due to the region's geography.

Their language, also called Gullah, is a Creole blend of English and various West African languages. It serves as both a functional means of communication and a cultural link to their African roots. Gullah culture is renowned for its vibrant traditions, including storytelling, spiritual practices, cuisine, and folk arts like basket weaving, which have been preserved over generations.

The Gullah culinary tradition—characterized by ingredients like rice, seafood, and okra—is a foundation of Southern soul food. Additionally, Gullah music, spirituals, and dance have significantly influenced broader African American culture.

Today, the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, established by Congress, protects and promotes Gullah heritage. Despite pressures from land development, the Gullah people continue to celebrate and preserve their history, representing a profound connection between African and American cultures.

[ausetkmt]

https://x.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1703407420515442919?t=KZA9wU6ZOvHpoTyQobuXKQ&s=09

For over 230 years, Gullah-Geechee people called Georgia's Sapelo Island home County commissioners voted to remove zoning restrictions & to strike language stating it should prevent “land value increases which could force removal of the indigenous" folk

For more than 230 years, a small community of Gullah-Geechee people have called Sapelo Island off the coast of Georgia home. Hogg Hammock, the area on the island where these descendants of enslaved people live, is a 427-acre coastal community of 40 residents and has been designated as a historic site since 1996. That means that the construction of houses more than 1,400 sq ft and any road paving or demolition of property are strictly prohibited to preserve the island community.

On Tuesday, McIntosh county commissioners, who preside over Sapelo, voted to remove zoning restrictions in Hogg Hammock. Gullah-Geechee residents fear that wealthy transplants who want to develop larger homes and who could force a rise of property taxes there will displace them and upend their livelihoods.

The county, which is 65% white, has voted to remove official language that acknowledges Hogg Hammock as an area with “unique needs in regard to its historic resources”. It will also strike language that states it should prevent “land value increases which could force removal of the indigenous population”.

Last Thursday, dozens of residents gave hours of testimony to the county’s zoning board arguing against the proposed changes, warning that the county had hastily made changes without community consideration. Reginald Hall, a landowner whose family had roots in Hogg Hummock, told the Associated Press the county’s approval would amount to “the erasure of a historical culture that’s still intact after 230 years”.

Residents and state lawmakers called for the county to delay their vote and to reflect on proposed changes for 90 days. “We will not allow our cultural history to be erased or bought at the price of land developers,” the state representative Kim Schofield, who represents Atlanta, told reporters. “This is our history and our heritage, and we will fight to protect it.”

Hall warned the county’s vote to remove development limits would give Gullah -Geechee residents in Hogg Hammock just “two to three years at most” to survive in the county before they scatter elsewhere, as 200,000 Gullah-Geechee people have already done across the south-eastern corridor of the United States. “If you talk about the descendants of the enslaved,” she said, “90% of us will be gone.”

[gullahconjure]

There is nothing in the world quite like a Gullah basket. Highly regarded and intricately stitched, each one showcases the maker’s artistry, as well as the centuries of skill passed down through Gullah families in South Carolina’s Lowcountry region.

This storied American craft dates back to the 1700s, and is a tradition rooted in West African culture. Enslaved rice farmers first brought the art form to South Carolina, and post-emancipation, it flourished as a method of expression. For more than eight generations, the Gullah community has continued the legacy,

The art of sweetgrass basket weaving is practiced in coastal and barrier island communities from North Carolina to Florida, a region known as the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. The Gullah-Geechees are the descendants of enslaved West Africans who worked on coastal plantations. Because of their isolation, they were able to hold on to many traditions brought to these shores during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Visit Charleston or Beaufort, South Carolina, and you'll see people sitting on rural roadsides or in city parks and on street corners selling these beautiful baskets. In Georgia, you'll find basket weavers on Sapelo Island and on St. Simons Island, and in coastal communities like Riceboro, Darien and Harris Neck.

Each basket starts with a knot, and moistened grasses or pine needles are repeatedly coiled and wrapped with strips of palm frond stems. Some have lids, while others have handles and other ornate designs.

Today they are considered works of art. However, the Gullah-Geechee ancestors used baskets for more practical purposes -- for storing food, toting things like crops from the fields, and for fanning rice, flipping the grains into the air so that the husk could be carried away with the wind.

[itsstillsweetiebythealtar]

If anybody seeing this is local. This is an upcoming event in relation to everything that has been going on!

If y’all can, please take the time to follow

https://instagram.com/protectsthelena?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I’ve posted about the Gullah Geechee community before but I just want y’all to stay up to date on what’s going on, even if I don’t get a chance to post.

The Gullah Geechee community is fighting to preserve their community and the environment from multiple companies attempting to “build up” the area with golf courses and resorts when the Charleston area already has MORE THAN ENOUGH. Please follow this page and stay up to date on how you can help fight back.

[haveyouseenthis-childhoodshow]

Have you seen this childhood show: Gullah Gullah Island (1994-1998), United States (English)

Commentary/Context/Memories: I actually saw the cast in concert, but my hyperactive self could not sit still, so I didn’t pay much attention. I feel so bad about it 😭

[Mod A: Awww please don’t feel bad about that! You were (likely) just a kid expressing your excitement in the way you knew best (unless you didn’t really want to go to the show). Concerts can be really hard to sit through as a kid regardless of if you’re interested in them or not! I also regret not really paying much attention to the Jonas Brothers (my first concert in 2008) bc I was not obsessed/had a crush on them the way my friend who took me had (should’ve been a sign I was gay in hindsight haha), even though I now think they had some great bops! Anyways back to the show: love the vibes of this show! I am normally creeped out by mascot costumes, but their friend Binyah Binyah Poliwog seems like a friendly lil frog! This show was a music-based show that aimed to educate kids about Gullah culture, who are an African American cultural community based along the coastline of North/South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and the Sea Islands that has a specific language and prominent arts/music culture because of relative isolation/shared African cultural heritage, the language is also known as Geechee (related to Creole). The show shared songs, art styles, dance, and stories important to the Gullah culture! I would like to learn more about this, because while I did know about Creole, I don’t know much about Gullah culture (so very glad to learn through researching this show!)]

[not-so-superheroine]

how did you come to join rlds/coc?

Sorry it took me so long to get to this question. I just knew it was a long answer.

I think my testimony gives a good idea, and i'll include . Because I felt the presence of God calling me to go join them is the overarching answer, but I can also give points that drew me in.

But in a few some points: 

I fell in love with the modern RLDS version of zion (and some of the old one too. nothing to do with israel.)

I saw they strived to be an inclusive place.

The Community of Christ's Enduring Principles are things I want to strive to live my life by.

The community made me feel very welcome and I saw people conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner

The community is very tight knit. society needs more of that.

Like, there is a certain behavioral affect (? cultural distinction?) that many members have that i thought was strange at first but it’s lovely. It’s kind, loving, and welcoming, and you adjust to it very quickly imo. Even to the lingo, which was a fun process. 

Continuing Revelation. Saw evidence of fulfilled prophecy in the Doctrine and Covenants and the spiritual growth in the church over the years

Continuing Revelation in general. I like that my faith is alive like that. We have prophets, God could reveal new truths for new scripture tomorrow. We are encouraged to be prophetic ourselves and discern the future together, i like that.

Also, no new scripture allowed in the mainstream? why not? does God still not talk in this way? great points in my head.

The communal aspect to everything is good. Just like how any sect of mormonism should imo The people i reached out to while seeking (investigating) were very kind to me and open to my questions. They were also there for me spiritually, and became friends. 

I could email leadership with questions and get responses. At one point, one of the church Presidents reached out to me. 

It’s academically welcoming. I was able to accept the book of Mormon as scripture when taught from a 19th century point of view. This, in turn, made me much more comfortable with the Bible. Community of Christ has an official statement on how to read scripture and there is scripture on how to think about and use scripture too.

I can even acknowledge when the history and the religious text don’t match. Because scripture doesn’t need to be historically correct to be sacred and hold an important message from the Lord.

Not really a reason but it is there: Joseph Smith III rocked and was intended to be next. It shouldn’t matter. But what does matter is that he set the church on a good path imo. Emma too. Out of all the early schisms of mormonism I would have to go RLDS belief wise, because Nauvoo era theology isn’t something I believe in. I think Smith got caught up in his own head and desires for much of it. No offense meant to post Nauvoo mormon sects.

This does not mean I haven’t picked some things up from Brighamites. For example, Trinity doesn’t work for me. And I pray to Heavenly Mother. I believe in one Divine source with many expressions. But that doesn’t mean “anything goes” and I accept it, just knowing that God speaks to people of many cultures all over, as the good book (of mormon) says.

But yes. This is why Community of Christ. Not that there are all common Community of Christ beliefs, but I thrive here spiritually and am encouraged to grow all the same.  Older testimony under cut that gives detail

I encourage y'all to watch this on video rather than just the text edited version i put here. not to be like "watch my talk on it" but please, watch my talk on the subject. I also talk about unity of the saints and what i have learned from other christians including other groups of latter day saints. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8w2M6PEKfg

I start giving my testimony and talk at 26:36

____________

I am Wednesday. Here I share a portion of myself and my testimony. At the time of this writing, I have lived 26 years. I am a Black woman of Gullah/Geechee ethnicity. I was raised in the African Methodist Episcopal church, which I am extremely grateful for. My nascent spirituality was nurtured here. I learned the meaning of community and was immersed in my culture. I was taught to love and respect my Black self, in a society that would not be inclined to show me the respect and love any human deserves. I may have converted, but I was meant to be nurtured here. I am a Lesbian, and have experienced discrimination in faith communities due attitudes towards LGBTQ+ persons. I despaired over thoughts that God didn’t love me, and wondered if I would be condemned to Hell. In part because of this and being scolded for my questioning nature regarding God and church doctrines, I fell away from faith. I grew a lot in this away time, but didn’t really deconstruct my faith until 2021. My isolation in the pandemic gave me time for introspection. I would watch content from mainly atheist ex-christians who discussed their deconstruction journey. They were usually ex-evangelical or ex-mormon, and were really helpful to me for unpacking the mess that was my faith. Then something peculiar happened that changed the path of my life. Through the ex-mormons, I encountered the Restoration. There was something intriguing about it, and I wanted to learn more, so I did. I learned history, and the doctrine of different Latter Day Saint sects. I loved how innovative and “of the people” the early church was and how alive the faith seemed to be. I listened to members and ex-members, past and present, talk about their experiences within their faith communities and how they experienced the Divine. These were some of the worst years of my life, but there was something here that gave me hope. 

I came across an interview featuring John Hamer, in which he talked about Community of Christ as a home for those in faith transition. Many of the concerns I had about Christian faith communities were addressed. I craved such a spiritual home and became a seeker.

I asked many questions of missionaries, and my inquisitiveness was welcomed. I got myself an Inspired Version of the Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and Book of Mormon. I was very impressed by the Doctrine and Covenants and found the contents to be Inspired and even prophetic, so I started attending Beyond the Walls services online.

One Sunday, the service was centered on the Worth of all Persons, Christian acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons, and the church in Tahiti. I listened to the members talk about their acceptance, their being guided by faith in Christ in the process, and how those things were compatible and complementary. The speakers affirmed God’s love and mercy for all. Their faith was strong, and they spoke with authority. Their Christ-like compassion was palpable. I felt what I now recognize as the Holy Spirit, come over me. After the message, the choir sang “Spirit of God like a fire is Burning” and I felt that fire burning in my chest and cried and praised the Lord for hours after.

My faith in God is stronger than ever. And my passion and belief in the Restoration bloomed.

[propheticeve]

Black American trance work : Shouting

The evolution of the ring shout serves as proof of resilience, creativity, and the enduring connection between faith and culture. The ring shout is not just a dance; it's a sacred form of expression that bridges the realms of the earthly and the divine. Unique to the Hoodoo and Christian faiths, the ring shout has a complex history that mirrors the multifaceted nature of Black spirituality in the United States.

The history of the ring shout is as diverse as the regions and church denominations in which it thrives. In a society where African Americans were subjected to the oppressive forces of slavery and its accompanying suppression of cultural practices, the ring shout emerged as a form of worship that allowed a connection with the divine, even when drumming and dancing were prohibited in many church settings.

One of the defining features of the ring shout is its minimalistic approach to musical accompaniment. Unlike many religious dances, the ring shout typically relies on clapping and stomping as opposed to musical instruments. This made it permissible within church contexts after the formal worship, opening the door for spiritual expression that was otherwise suppressed.

The earliest recorded encounters with the ring shout by outsiders occurred during the Civil War in 1861, particularly in the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina. It was during this tumultuous period that the world began to witness the profound spiritual and cultural significance of the ring shout.

In contemporary times, shouting, or "praise breaks," is far more than a testament to one's connection with Jesus or Christian faith. It is a profound method of connecting with the divine through worship, one that encompasses a range of powerful components. These can include speaking in tongues, bodily convulsions, prophecies, falling unconscious and being covered with a white cloth, crying, screaming, and experiencing what is often referred to as "catching the Holy Ghost."

The concept of the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, in Christianity has been a source of deep reflection for many. For some, catching the Holy Ghost is an intensely personal and transformative experience. It's a moment when something stirs deep within, leading to powerful releases of emotion and spiritual energy.

The traditions of praise breaks and ring shouts are not confined to a single denomination or cultural group. They are woven into the fabric of various Black American cultures, including the Gullah Geechee community, the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), Holiness and Pentecostal traditions, and more.

The key here is understanding that Black Americans have a unique way of connecting with the divine, one that may differ from other cultures. This distinct form of trance work, often deemed "bad" by those who fail to recognize its roots, is deeply intertwined with African and Indigenous practices.

The practices seen in the Black church are not confined solely to Christianity. Rather, they encompass a tapestry of African and Indigenous traditions that have persevered through generations of slavery and dehumanization. From dance to drumming, these practices echo ancestral roots in Voodoo, Obeah, Santeria, and various African Traditional Religions (ATRs).

Praise breaks and ring shouts extend far beyond the act of talking to God; they are gateways to connecting with spirit. These traditions are a testament to the diverse ways in which Black Americans express their spirituality and connect with the divine.

The Black American church has always represented more than just faith in Jesus; it has stood as a beacon of justice, healing, home, and peace. While this isn't an attempt to convince anyone to join a church, it serves as a reminder that we can connect with our ancestors through praise breaks, shouting, and songs of praise.

The words themselves are not what matter most; it's the intention, the energy, and the connection with spirit that hold the true power. Whether you're engaging in dance, song, or a simple prayer, know that your intent and the energy you conjure are your magick—a direct gateway to your ancestors and a testament to the resilience and creativity of Black spirituality.

I often wondered who is the holy ghost exactly, have i caught him? I think so i remember a time where i felt something stir up within me so deep and i let out a belt, i had to be aorund 11 or 12, it was like a release and i began to cry out to God. Not to Jesus but to something deeper than what i was taught to belive god to be. Around 16 I felt this energy in the church setting again however this time it was different but much more potent, this was the enrgy that sent me on my Journey of Spiritualism. Back to shouting.

You see This show up in so many different black american cultures such as the Gullah geechees, Cogics and holiness and pentecostal. As black people we tend to connect to the divine differently then other, i mean every culture has their own way of connection right? Why is black american trance work deemed bad because one may not understan the difference between Christianity and Black spirituality.

Almost everything you see being done in the black church is not CHRISTIAN and has nothing to do with the bible, rather its full of african and indigenous practices that have been watered down thru generations of slavery and dehumanization.

I must say, as a Holiness Hoodoo myself not everyone can “shout” but hey different strokes for different folks.

But one must ask who is the Holy Ghost and why does this spirit show up so differently for black americans. This is something I deem to explore as whatever religion black people touch ALWAYS shifts culturally.

In the heart of the Black American church, there lies a profound reservoir of emotion, detail, and a connection that transcends the mere belief in Christ. It stands not only as a sanctuary of faith but as a beacon of justice, healing, home, and peace. The Black church has always been a cornerstone of the community, providing solace and strength in the face of adversity.

A Legacy Beyond Belief

The power of the Black church is not solely rooted in the teachings and sermons but also in the deep well of feelings and connections that are forged within its walls. From the resounding rhythm of drums to the uplifting harmony of songs and the transformative energy of dance, the Black church is a testament to the multifaceted nature of faith and spirituality.

It serves as a pillar of justice, where voices rise together to demand equality and fight against injustice. It is a place of healing, where the wounded find solace and rejuvenation in the embrace of their community. It is a home, a sanctuary where individuals come as they are, finding not just shelter but a sense of belonging. And, most importantly, it is a source of peace, offering respite from the trials of the world and a place to commune with the divine.

A Call to Connect

Now, this is not a plea to join a church; rather, it's an invitation to connect with the spiritual legacy that runs deep in the Black community. Consider making it a practice to "shout" for your ancestors, to engage in a "praise break" when the spirit moves you. The words you use matter less than your intention, your energy, and the connection you forge with the divine.

Your songs of praise become a vessel, carrying the feelings, memories, and ancestral energy that you conjure with every note and every step. This is your magick—a direct gateway to your ancestors, a bridge that spans generations, and a testament to the enduring strength of Black spirituality.

The Black American church has always been more than a place of worship; it is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and unity of a people who have found strength in their faith. In your own way, whether within the walls of a church or the quiet of your home, you can tap into this powerful legacy and connect with the divine.

Please remember to SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! My Mind and Me inc 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to promoting Mindfulness in urban communities is teaming with Temple of living word LLC to purchase our very own Praise house where you can come and practice your ATR judgment free ! Click the link below to read, share and support !