As modern Americans we tend to view our churches as a place where we simply worship on Sunday's but for the newly emancipated African Americans in the 1860's the church was more more than that. After years of subjection to their white masters African Americans were now free to worship openly in the manner that they desired and many took the opportunity to found and join African American churches which were pastored and attended by newly freed men and women. In his book History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church George Bragg writes "the "invisible" Negro Church which had existed all along, became "visible" and began to adjust itself to the changed situation of affairs." (Bragg, 1922) The newly formed churches also allowed African Americans the opportunity to govern themselves spiritually without outside intervention. "Churches became the first social institutions fully controlled by blacks in America." (Franklin, 2021) These new churches not only gave African Americans a place of worship but they also provided a place to gain an education and to participate in politics. After emancipation many northern missionaries found their way to the south to help teach and many black churches found themselves being used as schools throughout the week. Churches also "served as the setting for political meetings and rallies, and many of the early black politicians were ministers." (Franklin, 2021) 

References

Bragg, G. F. (1922). History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopol Church. In G. F. Bragg, History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopol Church. Baltimore: Church Advocate Press.

Franklin, J. H. (2021). From Slavery To Freedom: A History of African Americans, Tenth Edition. In J. H. Franklin, From Slavery To Freedom: A History of African Americans, Tenth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.