Religion in the Media

Religion In The Media

Being that I am African-American, the articles in my media scrapbook are solely related to the African-American religious experience, and were taken from a variety of media sources that are steered toward the African-American community. The majority of the entries are common in theme because they tell of the day-to-day religious experiences of African-Americans in this country. The articles relay how religion is portrayed and what is the emphasis of the media in the religious community of African-Americans.

For many African-Americans, as well as for myself, religion is a part of our every day existence. The tradition of worshipping as a family has been one of the few constants in African-American life. It was not difficult to find articles relating to religion in this degree. To read or see a television program relating to religion and/or spirituality of a person of color was not unique. Throughout all of these entries, religion to African-Americans is as natural part of their lives as with many other ethic groups in this country. From just common folks to celebrities, their observance of God, religion and spirituality is a foundation that their lives are built on. A relationship with the almighty is viewed as a way to make it in a world that is not so generous, especially to people of color. Many of the people interviewed in the articles referred to prayer as something essential and a way of maintaining their relationship with God.

During the 1960s, churches often mixed religion and politics by serving as the site of civil rights movement meetings as well as worship services. Considering the climate of the day, sometimes the two became one. Sunday mornings were the exception. They were reserved for families and the Lord.

With the civil rights movement beginning in the African-American Christian Church, many of its leaders were ministers and associated with such religious organizations as the SCLC (Southern...