Only one Required Book   Black Religion and Black Radicalism,  by Gayraud S. Wilmore, 3rdEdition. Available on Amazon.  Be sure to order this book at the start of the semester.   Recommended writing book—: Rules of Thumb Silverman, Hughes and Wienbroer. (any edition is a helpful writing source). You can find it on Amazon for less than ten dollars. This is a very comfortable book and actually a delightful size and content. It is an excellent keepsake for quick source on writing.    Welcome and Course Description This course provides students  study of  Black American religions and places of worship as mobilizers of political activism in the fight for equity in American before and after emancipation from slavery. For African Americans, Black religions have historically been  institutions through which African Americans  have worked to achieve social, economic, and political equality as well as spiritual guidance and social interaction. The focus of this course is that of  Black American experiences in religion from Black perspectives, and not from that of non-Blacks. This course covers  Black religious denominations that (a) are founded  by Black Americans; that (b) are in the control of Black Americans. It is not about religions founded in other places in the world..  This is a totally online ILearn class, having NO required in-class meetings. It is most important that you thoroughly read the syllabus, as otherwise you will not have the information necessary for success in this class. There will be lectures and weekly assignments. I say this up front so that you enter this class aware of the structure of the class, and the importance of keeping up with the requirements. Please know that all messages to me must be sent and received on your SFSU email address. Please check your emails each day as I send them often as needed to convey a message or update.  And all assignments must be submitted on ILearn: No assignments are accepted on email. so please do not send assignments on email as they will not be downloaded. I look forward to you this semester in this ILearn class. Welcome!  . Taking this class means you will meet the requirement of two observation visitings to two different Black places of worship: Requirement A  and yRequirement B: As we will study the AME and the AME Zion Churches both founded in the 18 century and internationally strong today, , as well as the local San Francisco Third Baptist church, an historical Black activist church, the first visit, Requirement A is to one of those three choices, explained as follows:. REQUIREMENT A   1)    An African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church: a religion founded by  Richard Allen in the 1700s . There are many locally, nationally, and internationally for you to chose from. Anything you can share about the history of the church would be good. Goto the website or contact the church to be sure it is an AME Church.               OR 2)     An  AME  ZION  church; a religion also, foun.

1. Only one Required Book
Black Religion and Black Radicalism,
by Gayraud S. Wilmore, 3rdEdition. Available on Amazon. Be
sure to order this book at the start of the semester.
Recommended writing book—:
Rules of Thumb
Silverman, Hughes and Wienbroer. (any edition is a helpful
writing source). You can find it on Amazon for less than ten
dollars. This is a very comfortable book and actually a
delightful size and content. It is an excellent keepsake for quick
source on writing.
Welcome and Course Description
This course provides students study of Black American
religions and places of worship as mobilizers of political
activism in the fight for equity in American before and after
emancipation from slavery. For African Americans, Black
religions have historically been institutions through which
African Americans have worked to achieve social, economic,
and political equality as well as spiritual guidance and social
interaction. The focus of this course is that of Black American
experiences in religion from Black perspectives, and not from
that of non-Blacks. This course covers Black religious
denominations that (a) are founded by Black Americans; that
(b) are in the control of Black Americans. It is not about
religions founded in other places in the world..
This is a totally online ILearn class, having NO required in-
class meetings. It is most important that you thoroughly read the
syllabus, as otherwise you will not have the information
necessary for success in this class. There will be lectures and

2. weekly assignments. I say this up front so that you enter this
class aware of the structure of the class, and the importance of
keeping up with the requirements.
Please know that all messages to me must be sent and received
on your SFSU email address. Please check your emails each day
as I send them often as needed to convey a message or update.
And all assignments must be submitted on ILearn: No
assignments are accepted on email. so please do not send
assignments on email as they will not be downloaded. I look
forward to you this semester in this ILearn class. Welcome! .
Taking this class means you will meet the requirement of two
observation visitings to two different Black places of worship:
Requirement A and yRequirement B: As we will study the AME
and the AME Zion Churches both founded in the 18 century and
internationally strong today, , as well as the local San Francisco
Third Baptist church, an historical Black activist church, the
first visit, Requirement A is to one of those three choices,
explained as follows:.
REQUIREMENT A
1) An African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church: a religion
founded by Richard Allen in the 1700s . There are many
locally, nationally, and internationally for you to chose from.
Anything you can share about the history of the church would
be good. Goto the website or contact the church to be sure it is
an AME Church.
OR
2) An AME ZION church; a religion also, founded by
Black Americans in the 1700s. There also are many locally,
nationally, and internationally for you to chose from. Anything
you can share about the history of the church would be good.

3. Goto the website or contact the church to be sure it is an AME
Zion Church.
OR
3) Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, founded in 1852
and has a long history of community activism and with San
Francisco State University (Information and address can be
found on their website:
https://thirdbaptist.org
Choices 1 and 2 grow out of our study of 18 century Black
American religions that are still going strong today. There are
many AME and many AME Zion churches to choose from
whether you are in San Francisco or cities nationally or
internationally. Choice 3. ff you are in San Francisco ,3rd
Baptist has a long history of community activism is easy to
reach by public transportation.
Once you decide which of the above 3 choices to make your
Requirement A observation visit to, be sure to check their
website and follow up with a phone call if necessary, for the
correct time of their Sunday Worship service.
REQUIREMENT B
For your second required observation visit to an African
American founded place of worship--notice I did not say
Christian as for Required B it can be of any religious
denomination, not just Christian although you may again choose
Christian if you wish to. Just keep in mind that you may choose
among the many religions and places of worship founded by
African Americans and with an African American leadership. .
Both Observation Visit Reports must include all of the
following, Number your paper 1-7 (an optional 8) and answer

4. each question in order.
Provide the name and address of the place of worship
where you conducted your observation, and a brief history
of that place of worship. Include their web address in your
report.
Describe the church grounds and building
Explain the order of the worship service (it should be in
their handout if they have them: if not TAKE NOTES.
Describe the demographics of the congregation; BE
SPECIFIC--PROVIDE DETAILS, It must have a dominate
Black American congregation, and Black American
leadership.
If there is music describe it; NAME THE SONGS AND THE
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (IF THEY HAVE THEM).
Provide the name of the minister who gave the sermon
Describe of the sermon: Who gave it and what was it about
on the day you visited.
Optional, if so inclined, you may comment on your personal
experience as an observer there on assignment.
Students may make the church observation visits as early as
you like but the last day to submit the Requirement A
observation report is April 14 and Requirement B
observation report is
3.

5. Dear Students in AFRS 326 Section 1;
4.
Due to the corona virus crisis, you now have a choice, based on
your discretion, of whether to make an in-person observation
visit or in lieu of being required to make an on-site observation
visit for Requirement A and Requirement B, you can have the
option of researching on the web a specific present-day church
under Requirement A and a specific present- day place of
worship under Requirement B, and submitting researched
reports based on what you learn about the specific places rather
than making on-site observation visits in-person.. Your reports
must include, but are not limited to:
1) the name of the the religion, the name of the
church/place of worship, address , head clergy person,
2) all the information on their Web site,
including photos,
3) facts
about their history-- including that it was founded by African
Americans. is led by African Americans, and has a dominate
African American congregation
4) description of the programs they offer, and who leads
them
5) the times and number of services they have on
their day of worship. (Sunday for churches, but other African
American religions may have their main day of worship on
another day of the week)
6) names of their clergy, and positions
7) if
they have sermons online, choose one and discuss the theme
and points covered.

6. 8) any other insight into the places of worship
beyond what I have noted in 1-7 questions above.
5.
The due dates remain the same --Requirement A, due date is
April 14, and Reequirment B the
6. This message is not for students who have already complete
both Requirement A and Requirement B Church observation
Reports.
I recently sent you instructions for your Observation Visits
Reports that are now made on line and not in person , in respect
of our obeying the order to avoid going out except for life
essentials. I am here again giving you those same instructions as
a reminder. Your Observation Visit Report must include:
1) The name of the religion, the name of the place of
worship,
2) The name of the head Clergy person,
3) All that you can learn from their website, including
address, phone etc., history as founded by African Americans,
that it is a dominate African American congregation and
leadership, photo(s),
4) Descriptions of the programs they offer and who leads
each on them,
5) The times and number of services they have on their day
of worship,
6) Names of all their clergy and their positions,

7. 7) If they have sermons online, choose one and discuss the
points covered, and who
delivered the sermon
8) Any other insights into the place of worship beyond what
I have noted in questions 1-7.
The due dates remain the same. Requirement A and
Requirement B . requirement A. 5 pages due April 8
requirement B. 5 pages due April 8