Religion and church played a highly important role in the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Many of the people that came together during this time to support the movement for freedom of African Americans had religious affiliations and made part of organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Church during this time became a symbol in the civil rights movement.

In “The Civil Rights Movement and the Soul of America” Adam Fairclough states that

the church was the oldest and most respected institution in the black South (Fairclough, 724). The church became a place that brought together the masses fighting for justice, extending into communities and bridging the gaps that existed within individuals. According to Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., director of the Center for Non-Violence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island, the church was a facility in the community beyond the control of white power structure; it was a place where people could speak the truth, sing, or even shout (Lafayette, 3). The churches became the place where information was discussed and spread among the people involved; it was one of the most important meeting places at this time. Martin Luther King Jr. mentions in his letter to the Clergymen, that many times he would see churches and question about who worshiped there and who their God was because many times these churches did not fight against segregation or other unjust laws because to them, since these were laws, they could not be broken.

Martin Luther King Jr. states in his letter the difference of a just and unjust law. He defines these as, “A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law” with this he argues that segregation is an unjust law that must not be followed because sin is separation (King). King also mentions that they shall wait no longer for a change because throughout history too much time has been given to such matters and he believed that now is the time to act. King being a religious leader shows that there were many other religious leaders that helped with the struggle for freedom.

In the article by Fairclough, it is mentioned that ministers were trapped in the role of leaders due to unreasonableness of the white officials and the enthusiasm of the black population. Clergy and lay church leaders played an important role because many of them were financially independent and because of this, they were able to represent an independent voice in the community. Overall, faith seems to have fueled the power of the African Americans that fought for their civil rights. Churches and religion were a kind of compass that help direct them in the direction that they headed.

References:
King Jr., Martin Luther. "Letter from Birmingham Jail". April 16, 1963. Web. October 6, 2008.

Mathesin, Robert, R. Critical Issues in American Religious History: A Reader (2nd
Revised Edition). Waco: Baylor University Press, 2006. Print.

Lafayette, Bernard Jr. “The Role of Religion in Civil Rights Movements.” Faith and Progressive Policy: Proud Past, Promising Future. (2004): 1-13. Web. October 6, 2009