Through the Storm, Through the Night

Harvey (history, Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs) traces the development of African American Christianity from the transatlantic slave trade to the 21st-century megachurch, underscoring how the church served as a crucial institution and forum for African Americans in the United States as the country denied them a voice and equality. Not only did the church help African Americans endure and survive during slavery, but it functioned as a catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement. Harvey highlights important byproducts of the African American religious experience as well, e.g., music such as spirituals, gospel, blues, and even rap. He does not shy away from the criticism that African American Christianity has faced, e.g., for its exuberant style and preachers who have been accused of fraudulence. He covers today's religious pluralism, in addition to the rise of black megachurches and the "prosperity gospel."