The Imposing Preacher

Book excerpt: While many American religious historians have focused on a few mainstream black Christian thinkers from across the twentieth century, the story of Samuel DeWitt Proctor has remained obscured. Yet his voice is essential to understanding the black social gospel. In the complex mix of voices from the Religious Right, Protestant fundamentalism, and black liberation theology, Proctor brought black middle class understanding of America life and contributed a voice that was Black, Christian, and American. Bond's exploration of the life of Samuel DeWitt Proctor adds a crucial piece to our understanding of twentieth-century American church history. Book jacket.