Introduction

The Black Church has been historically one of the most important institutions for African American communities. During the centuries when African Americans were enslaved, deprived of political and civil rights, and legally segregated from their fellow white Americans, the Black Church remained the heart of the African American life. It provided a safe space to preach and pray but it has always been much more than a place of spiritual practice. It was the center of education, civil rights struggle, and social activism but also the center of respite from racial oppression, entertainment, and artistic expression. While historically men served as pastors and political leaders, women became community organizers in their churches. In that role, they organized social services for those in need, educational programs for children and adults, or leisure time activities for African American families unwelcome in white-only segregated spaces. 

In this activity, you will analyze a program of a 1930 conference organized by African American women, who belonged to an organization known as the Woman’s Synodical Auxiliary of Arkansas, which was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. This document illustrates how African American women organized and supported their communities during the era of racial segregation. Note that the conference took place at the Philander Smith College, which is a private historically black college that exists until today in Little Rock, Arkansas.