Reflections on Black History Month 

Commission on Social Justice and Human Concerns

The Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church, in observance of Black History Month, recognizes the significant contributions made by African Americans and our denomination in the history of America. We are requesting that our local churches celebrate the achievements of the Black church and the accomplishments of the CME Church during the Sunday School and worship service hour on the Fourth Sunday of this month (February 27, 2011). A special Litany is available at:
www.c-m-e.org/Announcements/Black_History_Litany.pdf

We honor the work and legacy of Dr. Carter Woodson, who initiated the annual celebration of Black History Month to recognize the achievements of African Americans and their contributions to the world.  As we celebrate Black History, it is also important for us to remember and share the 140-year history of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.  Since 1870, the CME Church has led the way in a three-fold ministry of Salvation, Education, and Liberation, and shared the good news around the world that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

We encourage our members to learn our history and read the timeless books by our living African American icons, President Barack Obama, Dr. Maya Angelou, Lerone Bennett, Dr. Cornel West, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Toni Morrison, and Tavis Smiley; and our late legendary trailblazers including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Alex Haley, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Barbara Jordan, James Baldwin, Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Langston Hughes.
Additionally, let us encourage our members to learn about the history of our Zion by reading such books as The Soul of the Black Preacher by Bishop Joseph A. Johnson, The History of the CME Church by Bishop Othal H. Lakey, A History of the Women’s Missionary Council of the CME Church by Dr. William C. Larkin, and The History and Heritage of African American Churches by Dr. L.H. Whelchel, Jr.
During Black History Month, let us take this opportunity to recognize President Barack Obama, the first African American President of the United States, and Michelle Obama, our First Lady! We are grateful for the leadership of President Obama. His journey, values, and Christian beliefs are quite amazing, and should inspire our young people to fulfill their dreams and destiny.

Let us remember the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. Dubois, Julian Bond, Dr. Dorothy Heights, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Congressman John L. Lewis, Andrew Young, and other leaders in the civil rights movement who fought for justice, freedom and equal opportunities for African Americans.  Let us also remember the CME clergy and lay who worked with the Civil Rights movement, fought for full citizenship rights for African Americans, marched, legislated, bled and died to bring justice and freedom to our nation.

As we share our history, let us remember that nearly all of our historic Black colleges and universities were founded by the Black church and have helped us to educate millions of African Americans over the past 100 years.  Let us share our story of how the CME Church developed educational institutions after slavery, and still maintains four fully accredited colleges:  Lane (Jackson, TN); Miles (Birmingham, AL), Paine (Augusta, GA), and Texas (Tyler, TX), and one seminary, Phillips School of Theology, which is an affiliate member of the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, GA).

As we fight for justice, let us remember to support the abolishment of the death penalty that discriminates against minorities and the poor. After DNA testing, many minorities on death row have found to be innocent who often were imprisoned for lengthy periods of time.

The C.M.E. Church must continue to be active in ensuring the civil rights of our people and working collaboratively with organizations that fight for our human rights.  We encourage voter registration and education drives in our local churches around the United States. Additionally we encourage our members to renew their memberships in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Rainbow PUSH, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the National Urban League (NUL), the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and other affiliate organizations.

We join with Dr. Marian Wright Edelman and the Children’s Defense Fund’s mission to ensure that every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. We encourage local churches to establish One Church One School and Freedom School partnerships to nurture, strengthen and fortify our children for our global society.

We call upon President Obama, United States Congress, elected officials, and world leaders to support the humanitarian efforts to end the world crises in Haiti and Darfur.  Let us continue to support the rebuilding efforts of Haiti after its devastating earthquake, and the CME Church’s mission project to purchase water filters to provide fresh clean drinking water.  We must support every effort to end the suffering of the people of Darfur, Sudan. We are grateful for the work of Bishop Teresa Snorton, our first female Bishop, for guiding the Eleventh Episcopal District. Let us support Bishop Snorton with contributions to continue her efforts to build churches and schools, and provide health services. Additionally we are grateful to Bishop Gordon T. Umoette, our first indigenous Bishop, for his work in the Tenth Episcopal District.

The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, under the leadership of Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr. and its College of Bishops, is a 140-year old historically African American Christian denomination with more than 1.2 million members across the United States, and has missions and sister churches in Haiti, Jamaica and fourteen African nations. For additional information about the CME Church, visit
www.c-m-e.org .


Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., CEO
Bishop Paul A. G. Stewart, Sr.
Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III
Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.,
Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr.
Bishop Kenneth W. Carter
Bishop James B. Walker
Bishop W. Edward Lockett
Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr.
Bishop Teresa Snorton
Bishop Godwin T. Umoette
Bishop William H. Graves, Retired
Bishop Othal H. Lakey, Retired
Bishop Edward Lynn Brown, Retired
Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham, Retired
Bishop Dotcy I. Isom, Jr., Retired
Bishop Marshall Gilmore, Retired
Bishop Nathaniel Linsey, Retired