AS I SAT in church one Sunday surrounded by the elders, I could only be grateful for their legacy and how the black church continues to be a pillar in the community.
With Windrush Day approaching, it was only fitting to commemorate the role of the founding mothers and fathers of the black churches throughout Britain in creating a hub and community for the black Caribbean migrants.
The emergence of the black Pentecostal church was necessary for the settlement of the black migrants to Britain in so far as they were a people who were invited yet rejected upon arrival.
We all know the story of The Windrush generation, their trials and tribulations coming from the Caribbean assimilating into a country both cold at heart and by climate!
The black church offered stability for the lives of many and the opportunity for spiritual and personal growth.
As the church grew in an expediential fashion through evangelism and more Caribbean migrants, it became a spokesperson for the community, somewhat optimising the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.”
The black church was instrumental towards the educational zeal of supplementary schools to contrast the perception of Caribbean migrants as ‘backwards’ and ‘educationally subnormal’ and learning about black history.
These Saturday schools were also a part of the church experience, and some churches provided learning support for their congregants that were lacking in school. The church helped galvanise a generation of miseducated black youth, paving the path to success in an overtly racist education system.
Financial initiatives set up by church members, such as ‘credit unions’ and ‘pardoners’, helped congregants buy a property and afford to send for their children back home to the Caribbean.
People would put money into a pot and draws from it as they saved. No interest was earned or obtained; it was merely a savings system based on trust that each person can extract funds deposited into a pooled saving pot at a week’s notice.
The church was more than just a church; it was a home away from home – the last reminder of home and a safe place to worship and fellowship.
In the 21st century, however, with Britain becoming increasingly more secular and religion not playing a dominant role in society, many people question whether the church plays a dominant role in the community.
More specifically, what is the part of the black church now? The black church’s ‘ passivity’ over racial injustice and police brutality has raised questions about its role over the past few decades.
Moreover, people have accounted for these reasons for their loss of faith in the black church. More so, their lack of activism on socio-political issues and applying pressure on the government and police over their unjust treatment of the black community at times.
From the historical context applied earlier in this article, the church has been vital in developing the life of many black Britons.
The collectiveness of the congregation helped establish robust communities throughout this country, serving as a monumental and respected voice.
The rise of Black African migrants to Britain (particularly from West Africa) during the 1990s into the new millennium only increased the scope of the Black church. Controversial churches such as ‘SPAC Nation’ whose Pastors floss a “rapper lifestyle” with high-end designed clothes, cars and watches all in ‘God’s name’ conflict the influence that church has for allowing these trends to emerge and exhaust influence upon inner-city communities.
Today, the black church still has a role to play in the community now. History seems to be on loop with the disproportionate number of black kids being placed in Pupil Referral Units (PRU) like the educationally subnormal (ESN), which stratified the academic attainment of black kids in the 1960s and 1970s.
Police and state racism is rife with the injustices of Child Q, the Rwandan immigration scheme, plus the hangover of Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 still upon our minds.
The black church in the Windrush generation was instrumental in unlocking the potential of black youth and combatting inequalities in this country. Let’s not make their work and sacrifices be in vain.
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The Black church Pentecostal church housed a generation of hard working, highly educated people. When I look at my contemporaries a vast majority are degree educated. And educational excellence was fostered by our Sunday schools and youth programmes.
Not sure how much research goes on into the number of influential Black people in society come from the Black Pentecostal Church but you will find many who do a lot of work in our organisations and positions of responsibility in local government.
No because Black Leaders don’t care. I live in Leicester and Poverty and Racism are far worse than London. Leicestershire County Council and the City council treat Black people like third class citizen’s.
Simply because here in Leicestershire there are no BLACK LEADERS.
The Black Majority Church is still a safe haven for those of us who live in predominantly white parts of the UK. It is also very important for our children and young people to have access to a place where they can be free to be their cultural selves and to experience the kind of love, care and justice that UK mainstream society does not offer.