Have Christianity and Islam Helped Black Americans Survive?| AJ+

For centuries, religion was used to justify a lot of bad in the United States. Slavery, genocide, segregation, you name it. But religion also served as a means of survival and liberation for some of the most marginalized groups in this country. In this piece, Sana Saeed explores how black Americans have relied on religion – especially Christianity and Islam – to survive and liberate themselves for over three centuries. And we ask: Does religion still have a role to play in the fight against white supremacy and systematic racism?

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Presented by: Sana Saeed
Written by: Sana Saeed and Kathryn Wheeler
Edited by: Michael Zipkin
Animations by: Joe Corea
Produced by: Sana Saeed and Kathryn Wheeler

Music tracks courtesy of APM.
Footage and images courtesy of Getty Images, Creative Commons, Evan Carter and Reel Clever Films.

[RRiaz-spth]

Nation of Islam and Islam are two different things. After pilgrimage to Mekkah, malcolm x turned to the real Islam. Elijah Muhammad had no place in real Islam.

[dmoables]

I think Us black people need to be honest with ourselves when it comes to religion and Christianity

[e]

damn Black people are the strongest people in the US. God they went through so much shit SHEESH

[jecsaulysse]

That’s what keep us from growing as a group too much praying I am more practical

[Freethinker_]

The answer is no religion is not needed

[knowledgerocity]

sad no one will listen to this with an open mind.

[benjaminjohnson]

The Black Church helped not only black Americans survive, but also all Americans. It is difficult to name another institution that has fought harder and more effectively for civil rights than the Black Church.

[amapparatistkwabena]

All of you trolls on here arguing about the existence of God and rushing to preach the gospel that religion is another form of slavery----you're missing the point: religion helped the enslaved Africans survive slavery, and their descendants to endure Jim Crow. Get over your self-righteous selves and learn to listen.

[pirthiislam]

Islam teach us humanity...no racism.... No caste... Only humain Beings...

[tonimarie]

I have faith in God. I meditate and give thanks for each day for breathing. I no longer a Baptist. I volunteer in various communities and give freely. My spirit feels close to the teachings of Hinduism. I like anyone should be free to chose and not let anyone dictate how they prey, meditate, practice, find, or believe in God. Many blessings to all.

[HiemDaGremlin]

Haven’t helped us at all. It’s made us lay down and take mistreatment. Smh

[ntwadumelamata]

Short answer. HELL There's no invisible sky wizard that controls everything.

[DannyPhantomBeast]

Can we talk about African Traditional Religion including Voodoo and Hoodoo?

[zahidulislamimran]

A muslim can never be racist, if he is then he is not a muslim because there are verses in Al Quran saying Allah created different kinds of people with different features with different cultures for adapting to the nature around them and saying we all are one and our differences are what make us closer

[grayslim]

Sad to say, I’ve come to be agnostic, still on my path of researching tho

[eternalapostate]

Interesting why you haven't covered the Arab slave trade yet

[THEKINGOFGAYMUSIC]

Survive??? No.. its hard to survive with the one thing left over from slavery. You can't be mad at slavery, and then hold on to the one thing that controls your heart, and mind.

[pacifist]

on equality Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “O mankind, your Lord is One and your father is one. You all descended from Aadam, and Aadam was created from the earth. He is most honored among you in the sight of God who is most upright. No Arab is superior to a non-Arab, no colored person to a white person, or a white person to a colored person except by Taqwa (piety).” (At-Tirmidhi)

[jaysaviod]

Black Christianity is even more older than White Christianity..Go ask the people of Ethopia who Mohammad referred to as "raisinheads"

[Carl-Romero]

I think education would do better than religion would for any person.