The book analyzes the role of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in westward expansion and migration. Formerly enslaved people founded the AME Church in 1816. Often seen as ethnically monolithic, the denomination in fact successfully pursued evangelism among diverse communities of indigenous peoples and Black Indians, according to Dickerson.
Dickerson tells the little-known story of the AME Church’s work in Indian territory, where African Methodists engaged with people from the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasawsand Seminoles) and Black Indians with various ethnic backgrounds.
“I am really proud of the book, and I hope it adds further nuance to our discussion of Black history and Native American history. We often study these histories separately,” Dickerson said. “There is a lot of overlap, though, and they are very much interconnected.”
Read the Full Article on Quinnipiac Today