Read the Book
African Americans and Religious Freedom
African Americans and Religious Freedom: New Perspectives for Congregations and Communities is a collection of essays that provide novel interpretations of religious freedom informed by African American culture, history, ideas and religious experiences.
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Read the Book
The book is now available, free to all.
The insights this book offers are not limited by financial barriers. By making this resource freely available, students, faith leaders, scholars, activists and all communities can engage with these critical perspectives on religious freedom.
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Hear discussions about the book
The second edition of the book includes a new preface addressing the need to reimagine religious freedom and listen to lived experiences, and we brought authors and leaders together for a special event to re-introduce this collection of insightful essays on Feb. 28, 2025.
Co-editors Dr. Sabrina E. Dent and Dr. Corey D.B. Walker were guests on the Respecting Religion podcast on March 20, 2025, to discuss the book and the need to expand the narrative of religious freedom.
Edited by Dr. Sabrina E. Dent and Dr. Corey D.B. Walker, the second edition released in 2025 includes a new preface addressing the need for religious freedom to undergo a deep interrogation in our perilous times.
African Americans’ knowledge traditions, religious practices, political cultures and ideas are rich resources that facilitate new conceptions of religious freedom. In doing so, religious freedom speaks to our contemporary moment with a freshness and boldness that can serve the best attempts to broaden and deepen our democracy.
Edited by Dr. Sabrina E. Dent and Dr. Corey D.B. Walker, the second edition released in 2025 includes a new preface addressing the need for religious freedom to undergo a deep interrogation in our perilous times.
African Americans’ knowledge traditions, religious practices, political cultures and ideas are rich resources that facilitate new conceptions of religious freedom. In doing so, religious freedom speaks to our contemporary moment with a freshness and boldness that can serve the best attempts to broaden and deepen our democracy.
Featuring torn paper with text from David Walker’s Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World, the new cover symbolizes the ongoing quest by African Americans to realize a truly just and equitable American democracy for all people. The torn edges serve as a visual reminder of unfulfilled justice — a theme central to this collection of essays. Just as Walker’s vision outlived him, this book’s second edition continues the urgent conversation on religious freedom, drawing from African American history, culture and ideas to reimagine its meaning today.
