PATERNALISM AND THE BLACK CHURCH
Pastor A. B. Allen was the leader of St. Mark A.M.E. Church, Augusta, GA.
Although many Black communities in Post-Reconstruction Georgia and other Southern states established churches, some were not exactly free of oversight by white paternalism and the racist ideology that “whites knew best what Black folk should do” in all situations. The receipt from St. Mark A.M.E. Church Augusta, GA, speaks to both these ideas.
An analysis of the CONTRACT suggests Pastor A. B. Allen and his congregation accepted it. Their goal was to exercise their new freedom to come together, worship God, and discuss whatever issues they deemed necessary for the church and community’s survival.
Historical records further indicate that Blacks in Augusta, GA, were progressive educationally, politically, socially, and economically. There was Springfield Baptist Church (SBC) founded in 1787, Morehouse College established in 1867 in SBC’s basement, the Georgia Equal Rights Association organized in 1866, Ware High School founded in 1880, and Haines Normal and Industrial Institute founded in 1886.
There were also several small community-based schools established in churches and homes before 1900. The Augusta Black community was determined to continue educating themselves about all aspect of life. This “coming together” was a joint effort by formerly enslaved and freed Blacks.
That white city managers felt it necessary to require a license/receipt was evidence they were afraid of the Augusta Black Community. After all, it was the latter who pushed for education for ALL Georgians, not just Blacks. Whites clearly benefitted from this skilled, knowledgeable, progressive, entrepreneurial community of men and women who worked to provide uplift for everyone regardless of race and/or ethnicity.
White paternalism didn’t prevail in Augusta as much as it might had there not been the continuous, organized effort to stand on their own feet, handle their problems, and build community in every way possible.
Another example of Black independence came with the founding of The Pilgrim Life and Insurance Company in 1898. While white businessmen contributed information on starting the company, it was founded by five young Black men — Solomon W. Walker, Rev. T. J. Hornsby, Thomas Walker, Walter S. Hornsby, and J. C. Collier — who saw a need for an insurance company owned and operated by Blacks. The calendar below depicts one of the founders and the business savvy of the company exhibited in addressing these needs through advertisement as well as expanding their clientele. The 1902 calendar was a gift given to those who bought insurance policies. It also helped entice those who didn’t have a policy and garnered interest from those in surrounding cities who wanted insurance, too.
The formerly enslaved and free people who comprised the Augusta Black Community from its inception demonstrated that they possessed courage, skill, and ingenuity to take freedom and use it in ways enslavement, the failure of Reconstruction, and Jim Crow tried to suppress, even kill via hanging, slave codes, and any other prohibitions white supremacist/racist conceived. Everything previous discussed pushed back against any/all negativity the Black community experienced.
The Augusta Black Community succeeded beyond even their expectations. It continues to thrive though impacted by modern-day shenanigans and politicians determined to stop them and other marginalized people in their intent to be full American citizens, enjoying all that the Constitution and Bill of Rights says is theirs. White supremacy is alive and well but so are Black Augustans.
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