Record #:

21599

Author(s):

Sensbach, Jon F.

Abstract:

In an 1822 effort to segregate their congregation, Moravian Church officials in Salem, North Carolina, established a separate nondenominational black Christian church. White parishioners established the black church as a way to maintain cultural control, but they also feared large gatherings of blacks and were afraid the church would provide a nest to incite slave rebellions. The services were under the direction of Moravian minister Abraham Gottlieb Steiner, but blacks often led services and attended Methodist camp meetings. The segregated church provided members with a unique semblance of family and community.

Source:

North Carolina Historical Review (NoCar F251 .N892), Vol. 71 Issue 4, Oct 1994, p401-429 , il, por, f

Subject(s):

Moravians