The Talking Book

African Americans and the Bible

• Author(s): Allen Dwight Callahan,
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Pages: 295
• ISBN_13: 9780300137873
  ISBN_10: 0300137877
  
• Language: en
• Categories: History / United States / General , History / African American & Black , History / Americas (North, Central, South, West Indies) , Religion / General , History / United States / State & Local / South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) ,

Description:...

A striking narrative of the Bible’s central role in African-American history from the early days of slavery to the present

The Talking Book casts the Bible as the central character in a vivid portrait of black America, tracing the origins of African-American culture from slavery’s secluded forest prayer meetings to the bright lights and bold style of today’s hip-hop artists.

The Bible has profoundly influenced African Americans throughout history. From a variety of perspectives this wide-ranging book is the first to explore the Bible’s role in the triumph of the black experience. Using the Bible as a foundation, African Americans shared religious beliefs, created their own music, and shaped the ultimate key to their freedom—literacy. Allen Callahan highlights the intersection of biblical images with African-American music, politics, religion, art, and literature.

The author tells a moving story of a biblically informed African-American culture, identifying four major biblical images—Exile, Exodus, Ethiopia, and Emmanuel. He brings these themes to life in a unique African-American history that grows from the harsh experience of slavery into a rich culture that endures as one of the most important forces of twenty-first-century America.