Black Protestant - Religious Tradition
Black Protestant churches are those that minister to predominantly African American congregations in the United States. The first black churches were founded by free blacks in the 18th century. Historically black churches have long been the centers of communities, serving numerous important functions. While the religious-meaning system and social organization of these denominations are similar to those found in white evangelical denominations, African American Protestants emphasize different aspects of Christian doctrine, especially the importance of freedom and the quest for justice. Black Protestants tend to be liberal on economic attitudes and conservative on social issues. The seven major Black Protestant denominations are: the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the Church of God in Christ, the National Baptist Convention of America, the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
Maps: Black Protestant1
Adherence Rate per 1,000 (2020)
Congregations (2020)
Top 5 Black Protestant States (2020)1 [View all States]
| Rank | State | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District Of Columbia | 71,868 | 104.20 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 258,067 | 87.10 |
| 3 | Alabama | 385,172 | 76.70 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 190,640 | 63.30 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 396,402 | 57.40 |
Top 5 Black Protestant Counties (2020)1 [View all counties]
| Rank | County | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada County, Arkansas | 2,878 | 346.30 |
| 2 | Adams County, Mississippi | 10,038 | 339.80 |
| 3 | Northampton County, North Carolina | 5,172 | 296.00 |
| 4 | Macon County, Alabama | 5,707 | 292.20 |
| 5 | Lowndes County, Mississippi | 16,970 | 288.20 |
Top 5 Black Protestant Metro Areas (2020)1 [View all Metro Areas]
| Rank | Metro Area | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, MS Micro Area | 16,970 | 288.20 |
| 2 | Magnolia, AR Micro Area | 5,854 | 256.70 |
| 3 | Camden, AR Micro Area | 6,982 | 254.90 |
| 4 | Hope, AR Micro Area | 6,998 | 246.60 |
| 5 | El Dorado, AR Micro Area | 8,778 | 224.80 |
Black Protestant Groups: Adherence Rates (1980 - 2020)1
Sources
1 The 2020 data were collected by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) and include data for 372 religious bodies or groups. Of these, the ASARB was able to gather data on congregations and adherents for 217 and on congregations only for 155. [More information on the data sources]
