Henry H. Mitchell (1919-2022) was a professor of history, black church studies, and homiletics, most recently at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia. He was also the founding director of the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies and the author or coauthor of several books, including Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art and Soul Theology: The Heart of American Black Culture.
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Reviews
Dennis C. Dickerson "A pivotal introduction to black church history." Lawrence H. Mamiya "An excellent contribution to the scholarship on the origins and development of black churches in the United States. Taking a strong positive stance on the debate over African cultural survivals in African American Christianity, Henry Mitchell has remarkable insights regarding black church origins. . . Highly recommended." Quinton Dixie "Black Church Beginnings gathers the prophetic fragments of African American church history into a tight synthesis, challenging narrow nationalist notions that Christianity is a white religion. Henry Mitchell's central argument -- that black expressions of faith in the salvific work of Christ cannot be separated from the African religious heritage of those enslaved in the New World -- is an important refrain in black religious historiography." Choice "An original, intimate, concise, and wholly accessible introduction to the beginnings of African American Christianity. . . Recommended."