The Underlying Role of Christianity in Political and Social Reform During the Civil Rights Movement as Exhibited by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

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Creator
  • Graham, Amaya
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
Abstract
  • Throughout history, Black churches have been highly esteemed among the Black community and influential in many ways, allowing for the formation of religious-based organizations during the civil rights movement, the ultimate goal of which was political change. A prime example is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), formed in response to the political and social climate of the 1960s. By looking at this organization and its president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this article aims to both emphasize and understand the underlying role that Christianity played in the civil rights movement. This is accomplished by looking at Dr. King’s philosophies, many of which were derived from the Christian faith, as well as how they were incorporated into the founding principles of the SCLC. The endeavors of the SCLC are also analyzed to build a relationship between the organization’s philosophies and practices and their impact on the civil rights movement. Through the successes of their political campaigns and other involvements, the SCLC achieved high status throughout the nation, ultimately accomplishing much for the civil rights movement. Christianity acted as a mediating factor between whites and Blacks, contributing essential, rudimentary ideals to the movement, and the Black church served as a well of resources to keep the SCLC and the movement afloat. This indicates that Christianity was a vital component of the civil rights movement that often gets overlooked.
Date of publication
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DOI
Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Journal title
  • Global Africana Review
Journal volume
  • 6
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 51
Page end
  • 61
Language
  • English

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