The Historical Contours of African American Humanist Principles: Part Two

Abstract

For some exercising humanist principles, it is useful if not necessary to find a body of believers. That is, the conversion experience— the movement from theism to humanist principles fostered by social and personal issues unresolved by traditional systems— is often furthered by communal interaction. Such a search for relationship is noted in Benjamin May’ s work on nontheistic perspectives amongst African Americans. Shifting away from theistic perspectives may, Mays remarks, lead some “into the humanistic camp of the Haydon-Otto variety. Negroes would then seek to perfect social change by combining religious idealism and the technique of modern science without relying on God or supernatural aid. The negation of the idea of God may also drive Negroes into the communistic camp, whereby more militant or violent means would be used to achieve political and economic status.” ²

This essay draws ideas, wording, and some of its conceptual framework from Anthony B. Pinn, “Anybody There?: Reflections on African American Humanism, Religious Humanism, Volume XXXI, Nos. 3 and 4 (Summer/Fall: 1997): 67–74. It relies more heavily on Anthony B. Pinn, Varieties of African American Religious Experience (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998), 167–183.