The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance

This vibrant survey from historian Tisby (Color of Compromise) spotlights Black Christians who have harnessed their faith to fight racism. Ranging from the colonial era to the present, he profiles famous activists like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as lesser-known figures like William J. Seymour, a preacher who helped form the multiethnic Pentecostalist movement in the early 20th century. Also highlighted are reverend Albert Cleage Jr., who sought in the 1960s to “radically redefine Christianity in a way that supported the... Black [power] movement”—including by commissioning an 18-foot-tall painting of a Black Madonna for his church. Prince Hall, cofounder of the Black Freemasons, was inspired by the “existential equality of all humankind granted by God” to launch the organization in the 18th century. In the present day, Austin Channing Brown’s memoir I’m Still Here revealed her “experience as a Black woman in mostly white professional and evangelical spaces.” Throughout, the author reveals how Black Christians have debunked misconceptions of Christianity as a “white man’s religion,” drawing on liberative biblical themes—like freedom from slavery and equality under God—to shape a Black church that has played an essential role in civil rights efforts. Enriched by impressive research, it’s a worthy tribute to Black Christian activism in America. (Sept.)