Description
Book SynopsisBishop Charles H. Mason in the Age of Jim Crow profiles the life and career of Charles Harrison Mason. Mason was the founder of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), which from its Memphis roots, grew into the most significant black Pentecostal denomination in the United States, with profound theological and political ramifications for poor and working-class black Memphians.
Bishop Charles H. Mason in the Age of Jim Crow is grounded in the history of the Jim Crow era. The book traces the origins of COGIC in Memphis; it reveals just how Mason's new black Pentecostal denomination grew, gained social and political power, and earned a permanent place in Memphis's black religious pantheon. This book tells how a son of slaves transformed a rural migrant movement into an urban phenomenon, unusual religious demonstrations exemplified infrapolitical religious protests, how these rituals of resistance changed black lives, and helped strengthen and sustain blacks fighting for freedom in s
Trade Review
Dr. Elton H. Weaver III’s biography of Bishop Charles H. Mason is genuinely groundbreaking. In this must-read work, Dr. Weaver thoroughly demonstrates his eminence as the foremost scholar on Bishop Mason and the history of the COGIC Church. At once intense and informative, Bishop Charles H. Mason in the Age of Jim Crow is written with sincere devotion and a profound sense of mission. It is sure to be an inspiration to anyone who seeks hope and direction, as well as understanding and insight in these troubled times. We are all indebted to Dr. Weaver.
-- David Patterson, University of Texas at Dallas
Bishop Charles H. Mason in the Age of Jim Crow is a vital contribution to the history of African Americans, the US South, and American religion. As the largest black Pentecostal denomination in the United States, the Church of God and Christ deserves an explanation for its rise and appeal. Combining biography and institutional history, Dr. Elton Weaver has written this history with skill and insight.
-- Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Power in There
1Praying Power
2Sanctified Power
3People Power
4Holy Ghost Power
5Property and Power
6No Blood Shedding Power
7Womanpower
8Equal Power
9Soul Power
Conclusion: Plenipotentiary Power
