By: John Thomas III
One could be forgiven for wondering exactly what happened at Mother Emanuel on Monday when US President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. visited in his first campaign swing of the 2024 Presidential cycle. As an affiliate member of Mother Emanuel, a journalist, and a collegiate Political Science professor, I confess that I needed a few days to sit with the variety of emotions and perspectives that I felt after Monday’s program.
We know that the Black Church as an institution is more to the African American community than a religious place. It is a vital institutional pillar that has undergirded our existence. From providing physical places to gather and shelter to opportunities for leadership and training to incubators for economic development, the Black Church is a singular institution whose influence sets African Americans apart from different parts of the Diaspora in the Western Hemisphere.
We AMEs take pride in navigating the world of United States politics, including Presidents in our midst. William McKinley visited Quinn Chapel AME Church in Chicago in one of his last speeches before his assassination in 1901. John F. Kennedy invited the entire Council of Bishops to the White House to recognize Daniel Payne’s role in signing the Emancipation Proclamation. And, of course, Presidential candidates routinely attend our General Conferences. So, when people question the appropriateness of the sitting United States President to show up to an AME Church, our history shows.
