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A study of six Atlanta-area Baptist churches and their response to changes in the racial status quo
Jernigan, Scarlet Faith
Jernigan, Scarlet Faith
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[Fort Worth, Tex.] : Texas Christian University,
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2012
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Scholars often oversimplify Southern Baptist reactions to the civil rights movement. This study recovers the nuances of Southern Baptist responses by interweaving church records, Atlanta Baptist Association minutes, church member interviews, and primary documents on neighborhood racial transition to articulate the story of six Atlanta-area churches from 1954 to 1975. Capitol Avenue Baptist, Bellwood, and Kirkwood, all located in racially transitioning areas, faced the decision of whether to stay and minister, close, or follow white members to the suburbs. At First Baptist Atlanta, months of demonstrations revealed a membership divided on desegregation. On the affluent northside, Second-Ponce Baptist directly experienced little of the civil rights movement, highlighting differences in Southern Baptists' attitudes based on class and experience. Dogwood Hills Baptist members contested the fate of their racially progressive pastor. This study contributes to the growing scholarship concerning southern whites occupying the broad middle ground between hardliner segregationists and racial activists.
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History