slavery Archives

Rev. Dr. James Forbes speaks on ‘COVID-19: A Parable of Plagues before Deliverance’ during lecture series

Posted September 17th, 2020

In a lecture series sponsored by Union Presbyterian Seminary and the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation this week, the Rev. Dr. James Forbes spoke on “COVID-19: A Parable of Plagues before Deliverance.”

How a pandemic brought healing to a centuries-old racial wound

Posted June 20th, 2020

Two North Carolina congregations — one historically white, the other black — take steps to heal 150 years of racial wounds by worshiping together virtually.

Minute for Mission: Juneteenth

Posted May 27th, 2020

Every year since 1865, there has been one day that most Black people have held as a celebratory occurrence. On June 19, 1865, the last of the Black Americans who were in the condition of chattel servitude were freed. Texas, the last state to hold out on the edict of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years prior, had finally been forced into compliance. And so, it is this date in June that many Black Americans consider to be Independence Day and thus a cause for annual jubilation that we have titled Juneteenth.

Webinar explores The Black Manifesto

Posted May 26th, 2020

When African American activist James Forman presented The Black Manifesto in 1969, calling for $500 million in reparations for injustices against black people, he made it clear that he thought Christian churches were partly to blame for the oppression of his people.

Struggling to right the wrongs of slavery

Posted December 30th, 2019

At Caldwell Presbyterian, the walls of our sanctuary talk. The voices are those of enslaved African Americans owned by the Caldwell family on a plantation north of our city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Before emancipation, their forced labor, blood, sweat and tears created the fortune that was later given to this church to build its sanctuary in 1922.

Princeton Seminary announces plan to repent for ties to slavery

Posted October 21st, 2019

Last week the Princeton Theological Seminary Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed the implementation of a multi-year action plan to repent for its ties to slavery.

An American celebration

Posted June 19th, 2019

While not the most widely known or celebrated holiday, Juneteenth is certainly one of the more significant holidays in the history of this nation.

Minute for Mission: Juneteenth

Posted May 16th, 2019

Every year since 1865, there has been one day that most black people have held as a celebratory occurrence. On June 19, 1865, the last of the black Americans who were in the condition of chattel servitude were freed. Texas, the last state to hold out on the edict of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln more than two years prior, had finally been forced into compliance. And so, it is this date in June that many black Americans consider to be Independence Day and thus a cause for annual jubilation that we have entitled Juneteenth.

Descendants of former slaves and slave owners transcend shared history

Posted August 22nd, 2018

The plaque describing the shared history of two Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) churches is on prominent display for everyone to see as they exit the sanctuary of the 3,000-member First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. Underneath the Scripture passage declaring “there is neither slave, nor free” from Galatians 3:28 are these words: “Among the 12 founding members of First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro in 1824 were the enslaved servants of the Rev. William D. Paisley (founding minister) and Robert Carson.”

Presbyterian Mission Agency delegation travels to Sri Lanka Group hopes to help eradicate slavery from supply chains

Posted March 15th, 2018

A group representing several ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) visited Sri Lanka earlier this year in response to a General Assembly overture aimed at eradicating slavery from supply chains. Program representatives included personnel from Presbyterian World Mission, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Mission Responsibility Through Investment.