The Black Church in the Civil Rights Movement: the SCLC as the Decentralized, Radical Arm of the Black Church Aldon Morri The biack church functioned as the institutional center of the modern civil rights movement. Church ship of clergymen largely economically independent of the larger white society and skilled in the art of managing people and resources; an institutionalized financial base through which protest was finsmeed; and meeting-places where the masses planned iac- ties and strategies and collectively committed themselves to the struggle srovided the moveinent with an organized mass base; a leader- Suecessful social movements usually comprise people who are willing to make great sactifices in a single-minded pursuit of their goals, The black church supplied the eivil Tights moveme ing of songs, testimonies. oratory. and prayers that spoke directly to the needs of an oppressed group. Many black churehes preached thar oppression is sinful und thet God sanctions protest aimed at eradicating social evils. Besides, the church gave the civil tanding nally, the black church served as a relatively autonomous foree 1 with a collective enthusiasin generated through a rich culture consist- rights mnovemeut coutinuity with its antecedents in the long. ligious tadi- tions af black people. I in the movement, being an indizenous institution ewned and controlled by blacks. Scholars of the bl. chureh have consistently argued rhat it is the dominant insti- tution within black society. I has provided the organizational framework for most activities of the community—economic, political. and educational endeavors as well a3 religious ones. The blick church was unique in that i d and developed by an oppressed group shut off from the institutional life of the larger svcie the instirutions of the larger society were of very litle use to blacks. Blacks were never was organi: Iistorieally equal partners in those economic, political, and cultnral instinations aud in fact were institutional subor- ystematically excluded from their decision-making processes, Thi dination usumally prevented bh society, In short. the larger society denied blac existence. ks from identifying with the instittions of the Larger 3 the imstitulional access and outlets necessary to nonmal sori The black church fi and ir nal void by providing support ction for the diverse activities of an oppressed group. Tt furnished outlets for jod a large part of the institut 2030 DISRUPTIVE RELIGION: THE FORCE OF FAITH IN SOCIAL- MOVEMENT ACTIVISM social and artistic expression; a forum for the discussion of important issues: a social environment that developed, trained, and disciplined potential leaders from all walks of lifes and meaningful symbols to engender hope, enthusiasm, and a resilient group spiri owning and directing an institution free from the control of whites. The church was also an arena where group ‘The church was a place to observe, participate in, and experience the reality of merests could be articulated and defended collectively. For all ational these reasons and a host of others. the black church has served as the orgs hub of black life, he urban church, by viewe of its qu pus serv lity of religi al action, developed into a more efficient org and potential for poli nization than its rural counterpart Even by the early 1930s urban churches had become nificantly more powerful and resourceful than rural churches, Urban churches were better financed, mare uumerous, eived more formal education and and larger in membership), Urhan ministers usually r earned higher salaries than their rural counterparts, Stable leadership emerged as high- vr salaries led 10 ministers. allowing them to become full- lower tumover rate among time pastors. The urban church was able to offer its cong ions more activities and programs, which meant more committe and other formal bodies to run them. und greater organized cooperation within the church: The great migration of blacks from rural to urban areas between 1910 and 1960 was responsible for the tremendous growth of the arban church through 1 that peri- od, Newly urbanized Southern blacks established close ties with the institution they knew best—ihe church, Numerous problems attended the major shift from rural to and the chureh facil I social networks through which the migrants could assimilate into urban life. Moreove the Southern urban church was si » that it provided an institut acisin and hostility of the larger black people could be temporarily at peace with themselves while displaying their talents and urban Jif ed the tran: tion by offering ble friendships and tar to its roral counterpart onal alternative to, and an escape from, thi society. Behind the church doors was a friendly and warm cuvironment wh aspirations before an empatherie audience. For these reasons the urban church. like the rural church of the South, continued to function as the main community center However, the gr at migration made it possible for the urban church to funetion on a seale unattainable in rural ‘The urban churches of the South became organizations of considerable social power: ‘The principal resouree of the church was its organized mass base, The ehurel not only The church has been financially supported by its economically deprived parishioners clear= organized the black masses but also commanded (heir allegiance, fact that the ly demonstrates that allegiance, Furthermore. the black comm ty has always con tributed the voluntary labor necessary to mect the church's considerable needs in its role as the main community center. These activities rged from an elaborate orga ational structure. The typi commit ehureh had a well-defined division of labor, with munerous siandiag inated iis es and organized groups. Each group was task-oriented and coor activities through authority structures. Individuals were held acrountable for their assigned duties, and important conflicts were resolved by the minister. who usually exercised ultimate authority over the congregation, A strong work ethic existed in thePHE BLACK CHURGH IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT 31 church, where individuals and groups were routinely singled out and applauded for their contributions, This practier promoted a strong group identification with the church as members were made to feel important and respected. an experienee denied to blacks by the institutions of larger society. CHARISMA AND THE BLACK CHURCH Another source of the black minister's power is charisma. The black church, @ well- established institution, produced and thrived on charismatic relationships: betwe minister and followers. Churches. especially the prestigious or leading, ones, demanded ministers who could command the respect, support, and allegiance of congregations str through their strong, magnotie personalities. Furthermore, the majority of black tinis= ters claimed 10 have b n “called” to the ministry directly by God or at least by God's son through such agencies as dreams, personal revelation, or divine inspiration. Once lly, that such a call was accepted, a minister continued—in his own perception and, ust ionship with God, Clearly tion's belief thar such individuals enjoyed a divect pipeline to the Divine served to set of his congregation—to have a personal rel mgrega- from the re them o! tof the population. Charisma, however, is based nor so much on the beliefs held by charismatic indi- viduals or their followers as on performance. Experience is often erucial to perfor- nis leaders brought a great s who became eharisn ‘ivilr mance. and most ministe experience into the movement, Most of them had grown up in the church and deal of understood its ings. They know that the highly successful minister developed ner worl a strong, magnetic personality capable of attracting and holding a following, Many of the ministers were college graduates with considerable training in theological studies. It curred in black col- cannot he overemphasized that nach of these ministers’ training o leges and universities under the direction of leading black educators and theologians of the day, They were taught and counseled by su Hubert, and S.A. Archer, The Reverend C.K. Steele, one of the early leaders of the movement, remarked (1978): “These are strong men and you could hardly sit under then seriously and sincerely, without being affected.” He states furthe ns, who themselves had struggled 1 get an education, stressed such values as human d yonhood, manhood, and courage. These became core val ues of the civil rights movement ck universities and colleges were closely link 1) men as Dr, Benjamin Mays, C.D. that these edu- ators und theologi pit , pel During this period bl to the black church, Thus. a significant number of the leading professors were also ministers or 5 0 be closely attached to the ministerial profession, I was not unusual for the stude es. during which these influential cul- art of drama required to attend daily or weekly chapel servi tural fi 1 in public speaking and the attempted to imbue the students with communication, ure exp » the church, rtain values. In college as well as the future leade sof the movement were exposed to and taught the exciternent and art d of stimulating, persuading, and influencing erowds by individuals who had mast the art of charisma, The black church combin of buildings, m ntenan the mundane (finan committec 4 services igs. reports, choir rehearsals) aud the charismatic (strong