Chattanooga’s Black Churches: Then and Now Can today’s churches regain the power they once held? By Dr. Clark "Deacon Bluz" White Photography courtesy of the Chattanooga African American Museum and the Library of Congress
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eligious practices have always been a part of the Black experience. Since the first enslaved African arrived in America, they and their descendants have practiced some form of worship. There are learned beliefs considered sacred in Black society that determine the values and morals for living.
The story of Black religion and the power of the Black church is a narrative that includes the history of Black migration, self-determination, social class and urbanization. From the early 1800s, Chattanooga became the destination of Black rural peasants from the surrounding areas. They viewed the city as a place of freedom and opportunity. They were attracted to the city by the potential for work, free public education and a “better life” for their children. They were escaping anti-Black violence, lynchings, poverty and exploitation, and they maintained the “faith” through their proscribed religious practices.
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They became urban proletariats, living side-by-side with other arriving ethnic groups including the ScotchIrish, Jews, Lebanese, Irish and Germans. Living, working and worshiping were common activities among all the ethnic immigrants. But the color line separated people in all aspects of social life, even church membership. Oddly enough at one time before the Civil War, African Americans in Chattanooga were given access to white sanctuaries such as Cumberland Presbyterian to use as a place of worship. While the order of service followed a basic Christion doctrine, there was also the “shouting” and convulsing in the spirit or “getting happy”. The early preachers tended to be more emotional than intellectual. Like the old blues song used to say, “Oh I think I get religion, I think I’ll join the Baptist Church, then I can become a preacher and I won’t have to work”. The urban migrants brought the memories of the rural-based “invisible underground church” and the “praise house” with them. The invisible underground church that had existed through slavery up until the end of the Civil War was clandestine in nature. In most slave-holding states there were conduct laws which prohibited free Black and enslaved Africans from gathering. The early form of church provided them with an outlet to come together and fellowship. In most cases, the religious ceremonies followed the doctrines of Christianity. There was a form of syncretism that occurred when traditional religious beliefs were merged with Christianity. From this resulted various forms of voodoo, hoodoo, and con-
domble. This was based on a Yoruban cosmology which was polytheistic. Interestingly enough, our city was always known for its share of Blacks who were palm readers, root doctors, and fortune tellers. Evidence of this is found in local Black folklore and superstitions. As they became acculturated to urban living, Blacks began to organize their own Christian churches. At first they had patronage from white Methodists and Baptists. A few white Southern congregations welcomed them into their midst as equals as brothers and sisters in Christ. Because urban life was more complex, Black religious people also had to adjust some of the moral codes. By the early 20th century, most Black Baptist and Methodist congregations had dropped their ban on dancing, socializing, card playing and some sports. Slowly, the Black church also added social programs and social services for its members. In some cases, Black churches and ministers got involved in campaigns to end lynching and segregation. The music of the Black church also became more secularized with the marriage of the spirituals and the blues—which gave birth to “gospel music”. Like all American ethnic groups, African Americans in Chattanooga recognized the importance of organized religion. Not only was it a place to get “salvation”, it could also be a place to build economic cooperation, education and enter the arena of politics. Black organized religion enabled people to build their own churches and form their own “mutual aid societies”. It was inside the Black church that some of the first independent Black schools were set up to teach basic literacy, mathematics—and of course, religion.