African American Religious Practices

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African-American Religious Practices
After the slave trade in the United States came to an end, the slave population started increasing naturally, thus gave rise to an increase in the native-born African-Americans population. In this case, some fewer migrants had personally experienced the life in Africa. The transformation enabled the myriad of language and culture groups of the enslaved black people to blend. This made it easier for the conservation and transmission of the religious practices which were gradually African-American (Raboteau2). The transitions that took place coincided with the religious revivalism that was also taking place in the country, which was referred to as the awakening (“”The Black Church,” A Brief History – African American Registry” par. 9-15). Many slaves converted to evangelical religions such as the Baptist and Methodist faiths, and the clergies promoted the idea that all Christians were equal before the eyes of God, a message that gave slaves hope and sustenance (“”The Black Church,” A Brief History – African American Registry”). Moreover, the clergy also encouraged the churches to worship in flexible ways, or ways that were almost similar to the African worship pattern, which was composed of dancing, clapping, spirit possession, and singing (Raboteau).
The blacks organized invisible institutions, through messages and signals that were not discernible to the whites, where they were free to mix the African beliefs, singing, and rhythms with the evangelical Christian ways (Raboteau 2).

With time, the black community created larger denominational structures such as the National Baptist Convention, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and the African Methodist Episcopal (“”The Black Church,” A Brief History – African American Registry” par. 18-20). The ways practiced in those churches were the foundation of the modern African-American churches in different parts of the world. Most African-American churches and those in Africa are fond of organizing their leadership and prayers similarly as it was during the early day (“”The Black Church,” A Brief History – African American Registry” par. 5).
The Gee Bend community is a black community which has been created quilt masterpieces that date from the twentieth century to Church (“Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers | Souls Grown Deep Foundation” par. 1). From the history of the black people, drawing, painting, and crafting were popular activities that they used to carry out during their free time. The quilting art constitutes a fundamental chapter in the African American art history since they have practiced this for a very long period Church (“Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers | Souls Grown Deep Foundation” par. 1). The quilts created by Gee Bend carry forward the old traditions of textiles that were used at home. African history is seen as the inspiration behind the quilts made by the Gee Bend community.
Works Cited
“Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers | Souls Grown Deep Foundation.” Soulsgrowndeep.Org, 2018, http://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/gees-bend-quiltmakers. Accessed 19 Nov 2018.
Raboteau, Albert J. “The Secret Religion Of The Slaves.” Christian History | Learn The History Of Christianity & The Church, 2018, https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-33/secret-religion-of-slaves.html. Accessed 20 Nov 2018.
“”The Black Church,” A Brief History – African American Registry.” African American Registry, 2018, https://aaregistry.org/story/the-black-church-a-brief-history/. Accessed 19 Nov 2018.