Beyond the Blackouts and Protests
The work needs to continue. Here are nine Black Christian-led organizations you can support in the long term.
By Raymond Chang
The killing of George Floyd (especially in the wake of the evidence surrounding the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor) has awakened many to the problems that have plagued the Black community for centuries.
Sadly, the words written by W.E.B. DuBois, Fannie Lou Hamer, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, James Baldwin, and Martin Luther King, Jr., still need to be referenced over and over as they are still applicable to our moment.
The work is clearly not over.
As we move forward from events like #BlackOutTuesday and the protests in support of Black lives, it's helpful to remember that those of us who aren’t racialized as Black can sink back into thinking that we can ease up on our calls for transformation.
But we must remember that even if we stop seeing discussions, posts, articles, and protests, things have not necessarily changed much. We need to drive sustained change—especially if we are Christians who are committed to God’s righteousness and justice. As Christians, we are invited to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom, a Kingdom that has broken into this world through the perfect work of Jesus.
One of the ways we can do that is by supporting and amplifying the voices of African American leaders in pursuit of justice. This is especially true if we consider ourselves followers of Christ, called to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).
Here are nine Black Christian-led organizations you can support today by subscribing, following, purchasing their materials/resources, attending their events, and giving:
1. The Witness: A Black Christian Collective
Jemar Tisby, Tyler Burns, and their team provide insights into past and contemporary events, engaging “issues of religion, race, justice, and culture from a biblical perspective.” They “consciously draw on the expansive black church tradition to address matters of personal faith while also speaking to issues of public righteousness” through their podcasts, articles, and a conference.
Latasha Morrison and her team provide resources with a vision “that people and organizations are aware of and responding to the racial brokenness and systemic injustice in our world. People are no longer conditioned by a racialized society but grounded in truth. All are equipped to flourish.”
Truth’s Table is an organization led by a powerhouse trio of three Black Christian women: Dr. Christina Edmondson, Michelle Higgins, and Ekemini Uwan. They host an incisive podcast that share “perspectives on race, politics, gender, current events, and pop culture, that are filtered through their Christian faith.”
Thabiti Anyabwile, Louis Love, and Tony Carter invite people to “The Front Porch” which “aims to be a place for conversations on biblical faithfulness in African American churches and beyond.” They host an annual conference and publish articles and videos together.
Lisa Field created the Jude 3 Project to “help the Christian community know what they believe and why they believe it.” The Jude 3 Project provides courses, resources, and events with a “strong emphasis in equipping those of African descent in the United States and abroad.”
Led by Justin Giboney, who co-founded the organization along with Amisho Baraka and Angel Maldonado, the AND Campaign seeks to help Christians navigate the political landscape from a Gospel-centered worldview that is committed to redemptive justice and values-based policy.
7. The John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation
Founded by Dr. John and Vera Mae Perkins, the Foundation “teaches and promotes the principles of Christian Community development and racial reconciliation.” Well known among the evangelical community for his commitment to the three Rs of Relocation, Reconciliation, and Redistribution, they draw wisdom and principles from a lifetime of community development work.
Led by Bryan Stevenson, “The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.”
Founded by Coretta Scott King in honor of her husband, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and currently led by their daughter, Dr. Bernice King, The King Center prepares “global citizens to create a more just, humane and peaceful world using Dr. King’s nonviolent philosophy and methodology.” Further, “the King Library and Archives in Atlanta is the largest repository of primary source materials on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the American Civil Rights Movement in the world.”
Help us continue the work of empowering voices. Give today.
