ABSTRACT
Historically, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church stood at the forefront of the abolitionist and education movements in the African American community. Educationally, separate institutions allowed black people to dictate the terms of their academic instruction. From slavery throughout the Civil Rights Movement, black people have looked to the church to support many of its educational ventures. The AME church took a primary role in transforming the literacy rate of African Americans after the end of slavery. Historically, African Americans lacked the social and economic capital to establish educational initiatives without pooling their scant resources. School integration has created a gap in culturally relevant resources available to young black youth. With a focus on education and cultural relevance, the church cultivated black activists who advocated for a prophetic gospel of liberation. Afrocentric educational opportunities explore the African American existence within the entire society in order to demonstrate African American contributions to the larger society.
