The Defects of the Negro Church The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers No. 10

"The Defects of the Negro Church" by Orishatukeh Faduma is a critical work that points out some of the weaknesses in the Negro church around the start of the 1900s. The book looks at problems like how people seemed more interested in showing off their religion than actually believing it, and how not enough attention was given to churches in the countryside. It also talks about how it's important to have well-educated leaders in the church. The author felt like church services were sometimes too emotional and thinks it would be better to have a mix of feeling and thinking. He hoped things could get better, with churches focusing more on real faith, training their leaders well, and helping their communities in all sorts of ways, ultimately boosting the church’s role in society.