VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 1/29/15)—This February the current issue of the American Baptist Quarterly (ABQ) will be in subscribers’ hands with resources for Black History Month.  Non-subscribers can order a copy for $15 from the American Baptist Historical Society by calling 678-547-6680 or emailing ABHS@abhsarchives.org.

The table of contents reveals the broad spectrum of authors and topics typical of the thoroughness of the ABQ:

“The Importance of Historical Inquiry for African-American Ministry” by Beverly Mitchell; “Recasting a Black Baptist Narrative” by Adam Bond; “Let the Doors of the Church be Open: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Baptists in Chapel Hill, North Carolina” by Curtis Freeman; “Rev. Edmond Kelley: Love, Family and Christian Commitment” by Paul Walker; “The Life of an African American Baptist Missionary, Gladys V. East: Her Challenges and Reward” by Pamela Smoot; “Book Publishing at the National Baptist Publishing Board, 1895-1915: A Bibliography” by Quinton Dixie.

While there are many biographical and event resources available to highlight the contributions of African-Americans, theological resources like those in the ABQ are an important dimension for American Baptist Churches.  Black theologians and theology is an integral part of the American Baptist identity.  A guide to African American materials in the American Baptist Historical Society archives is available at our web site.

Information on how to subscribe to the American Baptist Quarterly can be found on the ABHS web site, http://www.abhsarchives.org/.

Founded in 1853, the American Baptist Historical Society preserves and shares its collections documenting the influence Baptists have had on religious and civic life. Its six miles of shelving hold the archives of the national mission societies of the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., of which it is a part, the personal papers of prominent Baptist leaders, original church records, periodicals representing the world-wide Baptist press, national, state and associational published minutes from the vast array of Baptist denominations in the U.S., and books and pamphlets that are by, about, for and against Baptists. Researchers come from all over the world to from a multitude of disciplines, including American history, political science, anthropology and sociology. For more information about ABHS, including how to make a research appointment or to volunteer, visit our website at www.abhsarchives.org.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.