Black Roots of Pentecostalism
The first "Pentecostals" in the modern sense appeared on the scene in 1901 in the city of Topeka, Kansas in a Bible school conducted by Charles Fox Parham, a holiness teacher and former Methodist pastor. It was not until 1906, however, that Pentecostalism achieved worldwide attention through the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles led by the African-American preacher William Joseph Seymour. He learned about the tongues-attested baptism in a Bible school that Parham conducted in Houston, Texas in 1905. Invited to pastor a black holiness church in Los Angeles in 1906, Seymour opened the historic meeting in April, 1906 in a former African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church building at 312 Azusa Street in downtown Los Angeles.
What happened at Azusa Street has fascinated church historians for decades and has yet to be fully understood and explained. For over three years, the Azusa Street "Apostolic Faith Mission" conducted three services a day, seven days a week, where thousands of seekers received the tongues baptism. Word of the revival was spread abroad through The Apostolic Faith, a paper that Seymour sent free of charge to some 50,000 subscribers. From Azusa Street Pentecostalism spread rapidly around the world and began its advance toward becoming a major force in Christendom.
The Azusa Street movement seems to have been a merger of white American holiness religion with worship styles derived from the African-American Christian tradition which had developed since the days of chattel slavery in the South. The expressive worship and praise at Azusa Street, which included shouting and dancing, had been common among Appalachian whites as well as Southern blacks. The admixture of tongues and other charisms with black music and worship styles created a new and indigenous form of Pentecostalism that was to prove extremely attractive to disinherited and deprived people, both in America and other nations of the world.
The interracial aspects of the movement in Los Angeles were a striking exception to the racism and segregation of the times. The phenomenon of blacks and whites worshipping together under a black pastor seemed incredible to many observers. The ethos of the meeting was captured by Frank Bartleman, a white Azusa participant, when he said of Azusa Street, "The color line was washed away in the blood." Indeed, people from all the ethnic minorities of Los Angeles, a city which Bartleman called "the American Jerusalem," were represented at Azusa Street.
In recognition of Black History Month, the Holy Spirit Resource Center is highlighting some resources below that showcase the African American origins of the Pentecostal Movement. The HSRC has a number of studies on the Azusa Street Mission, William Seymour, C.H. Mason, and African Pentecostalism.
Books on Black Pentecostalism
- William J. Seymour by These are just some of the descriptions of Seymour, who proved to be an effective leader, writer, teacher, and reviva list. His impact continues to be felt around the world today. Seymour's early work has opened the door to millions of people finding the fullness of the Holy Spirit since the Azusa Street Revival, which both "Life" and "USA Today" have listed as being one of the top-100 nation-impacting events of the 20th century. This book is more than the life story of William J. Seymour. It provides us with his original sermons, analyses of his teachings, and the complete and original version of Seymour's final book. Doctrines and Discipline of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Los Angeles, originally published in 1915. The pioneer and messenger of Azusa Street continues to speak to our hearts today with messages that are as timely now as when he first uttered them. His confident and steady voice calls us to holiness, repentance,' faith, and racial reconciliation. "The Pentecostal power, when you sum it all up, is just more of God's love. If it does not bring more love, it is simply a counterfeit" (William J. Seymour). It was this love that led Seymour to the unity of Christ that opened the doors of ministry to women and people of all races. Book jacket.Call Number: BX8762.Z8 S397 2012ISBN: 9780882708485Publication Date: 2012-01-01
- Black-pentecostal Breath by In this profoundly innovative book, Ashon T. Crawley engages a wide range of critical paradigms from black studies, queer theory, and sound studies to theology, continental philosophy, and performance studies to theorize the ways in which alternative or "otherwise" modes of existence can serve as disruptions against the margin alization of and violence against minoritarian lifeworlds and possibilities for flourishing. Examining the whooping, shouting, noise-making, and speaking in tongues of Black Pentecostalism--a multi-racial, multi-class, multi-national Christian sect with one strand of its modern genesis in 1906 Los Angeles--Blackpentecostal Breath reveals how these aesthetic practices allow for the emergence of alternative modes of social organization. As Crawley deftly reveals, these choreographic, sonic, and visual practices and the sensual experiences they create are not only important for imagining what Crawley identifies as "otherwise worlds of possibility," they also yield a general hermeneutics, a methodology for reading culture in an era when such expressions are increasingly under siege.Call Number: BH39 .C734 2017ISBN: 9780823274543Publication Date: 2016-10-03
- Black Fire by Estrelda Alexander was raised in an urban, black, working-class, oneness Pentecostal congregation in the 1950s and 1960s, but she knew little of her heritage and thought that all Christians worshiped and believed as she did. Much later she discovered that many Christians not only knew little of her heritage but considered it strange. Even today, most North Americans remain ignorant of black Pentecostalism.Black Fire remedies lack of historical consciousness by recounting the story of African American Pentecostal origins and development. In this fascinating description she coverswhat Pentecostalism retained from African spiritualitythe legacy of the nineteenth-century black Holiness movementWilliam J. Seymour and the Azusa Street RevivalAfrican American trinitarian and oneness Pentecostal denominationsthe role of women in African American PentecostalismAfrican American neo-Pentecostals and charismatic movementsblack Pentecostals in majority-white denominationstheological challenges of black Pentecostalism in the twenty-first centuryWhether you come from an African American Pentecostal background or you just want to learn more, this book will unfold all the dimensions of this important movement's history and contribution to the life of the church.Call Number: BR1644.3 .A45 2011ISBN: 9780830825868Publication Date: 2011-05-03
- Afro-Pentecostalism by In 2006, the contemporary American Pentecostal movement celebrated its 100th birthday. Over that time, its African American sector has been markedly influential, not only vis-à-vis other branches of Pentecostalism but also throughout the Christian church. Black Christians have been integrally involved in every aspect of the Pentecostal movement since its inception and have made significant contributions to its founding as well as the evolution of Pentecostal/charismatic styles of worship, preaching, music, engagement of social issues, and theology. Yet despite its being one of the fastest growing segments of the Black Church, Afro-Pentecostalism has not received the kind of critical attention it deserves. Afro-Pentecostalism brings together fourteen interdisciplinary scholars to examine different facets of the movement, including its early history, issues of gender, relations with other black denominations, intersections with popular culture, and missionary activities, as well as the movement’s distinctive theology. Bolstered by editorial introductions to each section, the chapters reflect on the state of the movement, chart its trajectories, discuss pertinent issues, and anticipate future developments. Contributors: Estrelda Y. Alexander, Valerie C. Cooper, David D. Daniels III, Louis B. Gallien, Jr., Clarence E. Hardy III, Dale T. Irvin, Ogbu U. Kalu, Leonard Lovett, Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., Cheryl J. Sanders, Craig Scandrett-Leatherman, William C. Turner, Jr., Frederick L. Ware, and Amos YongISBN: 9780814797303Publication Date: 2011-05-16
Martin Luther King's Last Speech from Mason Temple
Martin Luther King Jr.'s last speech was delivered at Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, the flag ship church of C.H. Mason's historically black Pentecostal denomination, the Churches of God in Christ.
Read more about Mason Temple: http://www.cogic.org/foundersweek/mason-temple/
Oral Roberts and Racial Reconciliation
Oral Roberts was a pioneer within the Christian community for his views on racial inclusion in American Society. In the 1950's, Roberts took a bold stand and refused to segregate his tent crusades, even in the Jim Crow South. This stance was unpopular even among many of his supporters in the Pentecostal community. But Roberts declared, "I will not segregate the altar of God."
In the 1960's, Roberts started ORU during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Roberts and often took public stances against segregation and racism. Here is an open letter Roberts published in his magazine, The Abundant Life, in March of 1968.
In 1968, Roberts was invited by black pastors from Harlem to discuss how his crusades could help bring hope and healing to the black community. You can see the photo of his meeting with these pastors below. You can listen to Roberts talk about this meeting here.
Oral Roberts' racial vision continues today at ORU, which has continued to be a place of racial diversity and inclusion.
Notable African American Alumni
- Clifton TaulbertAccording to Clifton L. Taulbert, noted author and entrepreneur businessman, he could have failed had he not encountered community builders and entrepreneurial thinkers early on in his life. Taulbert was born on the Mississippi Delta during the era of legal segregation where he completed his secondary education. Though opportunities were few and barriers were plentiful, Taulbert managed to dream of being successful, not knowing the shape that success would take. Today Taulbert is the President and CEO of the Freemount Corporation (a human capital development company) serving clients nationally and internationally-Fortune 500 Companies, small businesses, federal agencies, professional organizations, community colleges and K-12 leadership.
- Robert GoodwinFrom 1966 until 1970, Robert Goodwin attended Oral Roberts University, where he earned his B. A. degree. At Oral Roberts University Goodwin was a member of the student ministering team and traveled around the world preaching. In 1973, Goodwin earned his M. A. degree in philosophy from San Francisco Theological seminary.
Upon completing his master’s degree, Goodwin was summoned back to Tulsa by his father to run the family-owned newspaper, The Oklahoma Eagle. Goodwin operated the paper until 1981; during his tenure he increased the readership and converted the printing to a more efficient, cost effective process.
Links to Resources
- ORU Black Heritage Week Chapels Recognizing Black Heritage is a tradition at ORU. This collection contains many audio files and transcripts of past Black Heritage chapels.
- Read The Apostolic Faith from the Azusa Street Mission The Azusa Street Mission published a newspaper, The Apostolic Faith, which reported on the revival in Los Angeles and emerging Pentecostal movement. The newspaper, which featured letters and articles from around the world, shared the excitement and passion of these early Pentecostals. The Apostolic Faith is an essential resource for those interested in better understanding the themes, beliefs, people, and events that helped to shape the contours of the global Pentecostal movement.
- Azusa Street Mission Anniversary Program This is a program from the Fourteenth Anniversary of the Azusa Street Outpouring in 1920 put together by William J. Seymour. It was one of the last events at Azusa. Seymour died in the summer of 1922 from a heart attack. This program contains an outline of Seymour's teaching on the soon coming of Christ and a number of songs that were sung during the meeting.
- Bio of G.T. Haywood Undoubtedly, nearly every Apostolic knows the name of Bishop Garfield Thomas Haywood. Bishop Haywood’s early alignment with the Oneness camp during the difficult years when the “New Issue” was dividing the Pentecostal Movement along doctrinal lines, is a well-known chapter in our unique history. He was a revered Bible teacher, apologist, and hymn writer. The church that Bishop Haywood founded and pastored until his death in April 1931, Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, was a center of Apostolic revival and was seminal in the establishment of other Oneness Pentecostal churches and ministries throughout Indiana and the entire Midwest.
- The Quiet Rise of Black Pentecostalism: Charisma Magazine Many people think the Assemblies of God is the largest Pentecostal denomin ation in the United States. It is also commonly thought that the oldest Pentecostal denomination in the nation is the Church of God, headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee.