The document discusses the importance of Black history and its biblical connections, emphasizing the shared heritage of humanity and notable figures of African descent in scripture. It highlights the impact of African-American history, particularly the struggles against white oppression over 400 years, and the resilience demonstrated through biblical values like forgiveness and non-violent resistance. The document concludes by urging a recognition of the contributions of African-Americans to society and the need for the church to advocate for justice and unity among all people.

1. Black History
Is Our History
Lessons to Grow on

2. Black History Begins
Acts 17:26: “From one man He made all the nations, that
they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out
their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their
lands.”
!
Mankind eventually existed in many shades of color but all
came from one man, Adam. Genetically, we are all
brothers and sisters of the Father God Who made us
all.

3. Ham, one of the three sons of Noah, had a son
named Cush, which means "black" in Hebrew.
Cush is the most common term designating color
in reference to persons, people or lands used in
the Bible. It’s used 58 times in the King James
Version.
The Greek and Latin word is Ethiopia. In classical
literature, Greek and Roman authors describe
Ethiopians as black.
In the book of Jeremiah, the question is asked,
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin?” ( Jer.
13:23)

4. Genesis 10:6-20 describes the descendants of
Ham as being located in North Africa,
Central Africa and in parts of southern
Asia.
Psalm 105:23 mentions the "land of Ham" in
Egypt
Psalm 78:51 connects the "tents of Ham"
with Egypt.

5. Hagar the Egyptian, Ishmael and his Egyptian
wife, and Ishmael’s sons, especially Kedar may
represent black people in the Bible.
!
The Kedarites are mentioned many times in
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Nehemiah, and the
word kedar means “blackness as in the Song
of Solomon where the bride of Solomon ( 1 of
700) admits she is dark like the dark tents of
Kedar.
I am very dark, but lovely,O daughters of
Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar,

6. Joseph married an Egyptian woman, Asenath, who
was descended from Mizraim (brother of Cush &
Hebrew for Egypt), which made her Hamitic. Thus
there is a strong possibility that Asenath was black.
She was the mother of Ephraim and Manasseh, two
of the future tribes of Israel
!
Joshua, who replaced Moses, came from Ephraim.
Also Samuel was from this tribe.
!
The Judge Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh
( 12 tribes – 1 (Levi) – 1 (Joseph) + 1 (Ephraim) + 1 (Manasseh) = 12 tribes)

7. New Testament Blacks
Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry His cross to
Calvary. Cyrene is in Libya, North Africa.
Acts 8 tells the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, one
of the first Gentiles to be baptized. He came from a
black region, so he may have been black.
In Acts 13, we read of Simeon, called Niger, the
Latin term for black. There is also Lucias from
Cyrene, a city in North Africa.

8. Christianity in Africa
The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch described in the Book of Acts predates
the apostle Paul's first missionary journey into Europe by a number of years.
There is clear, historical documentation of the church in Africa by the third century.
Christianity was the dominant religion in North Africa and most notably Egypt.
Egyptian and North African scholars such as Clement, Origen, Tertullian, and
Athanasius are widely recognized as Fathers of the Early Church. By the year
300, Egypt had more than a million Christians. In the sixth century, Christianity
spread to the Nubian Kingdoms, soon becoming the dominant religion.
Muslim Crusades invaded Christian N Africa in 639, then invaded Christian Spain
by 711. Tens of thousands of Christians killed. Islam was the greatest military
aggressor against Christian lands for 1000 years.
Their third attempt to invade Christian Europe was successful until Sept 11,
1623 outside Vienna, Austria again. They lost the next day.

9. Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo: (354 – 430), also known as Saint
Augustine was an early Christian theologian whose writings
were very influential in the development of Western
Christianity and Western philosophy!
!
This North African ( Algeria) bishop is one of the most important
Church Fathers in early Christianity. Among his most important works
are City of God and Confessions, which continue to be read widely
today. Possibly a black man.

10. The New Testament makes it clear that no one is
excluded from God’s love and purpose. Paul tells us
that there is "neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus
Christ" (Galatians 3:26-29).
God’s Word concerns, involves and speaks to
all people inclusively.
We could sum it up in the words of the popular
song:
Red and yellow, black and white, all are
precious in his sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

11. African-American
History
• Almost unbelievable story of cruel, often savage,
treatment by the white communities of America
against blacks for almost 400 years, especially in the
South.
• Black History glows bright with biblical values
• White history stained dark with persistent
bigotry and continual persecution of blacks in
America by whites, many of whom called Jesus Lord.

12. Lessons to be learned
• The failure of the Church to protect and the
complicity of the Church to oppress vulnerable
blacks from 1619 to now.
• The legacy of biblical non-violent resistance
in the Black community is so valuable for
Christians today.
• The other biblical values seen in Black History:

13. • Willingness to forgive, endure, return good for
evil, to love their enemy, to return good for
evil.
• Deep trust in God to protect, provide and
vindicate them in a hostile white society.
• Strength of godly black mothers/
grandmothers to nurture children without men at
home.
• Blessing of God in African-Americans in sports,
the arts, politics, shaping culture and in war as
soldiers.

14. Tens of thousands of Blacks fight in
America’s Wars ( Red Tails)
Marines will not enlist until after 1942
Segregated Army units until 1944
Jim Crow laws forbid them to use
Thousands of blacks build American
same restaurants, stores, schools, water
economy & nurse white children
fountains or hospitals as whites
Peaceful fight for desegregated schools Many states resist the law for years to
comes in 1954
keep schools segregated.
Emancipation Proclamation made
them citizens in 1864
Voter registration opposed until
Federal Voting rights Act of 1965
Blacks almost always responded to
white oppression with non-violent
responses for almost 300 years.
By 1900, there were still about three
lynchings of blacks in the South per
week, often with picnic crowds.

15. • African-Americans are a noble people
• White Christians need to repent for sins of
ancestors
• We all need to imitate the peaceful, godly of
oppressed blacks as Christianity comes under
increasing fire by our modern culture.
• Thank God for African-Americans! America would
not be the great nation it is without them.
• Pray for the Church to protect the weak and to
publicly stand against all forms of injustice.