We do not have an American culture. We have a white American culture and a black American culture. So when those two groups try to get together, [it's] very difficult because they each feel like they have the right to their culture.
Michael EmersonI ask the clergy why don't I see myself represented in leadership? And I'm told, and this happens quite a bit, "We don't think about race when we hire. We just hire the best person for the job."
Michael EmersonSo you find a lot of these sixth Americans congregate in these interracial congregations. They hang out together at work, at school, wherever.
Michael EmersonIn part because they had no choice, right? If you were a slave, you did what the master said. And they said to worship: "You're going to worship with us."
Michael EmersonNow they had to sit in separate places and sometimes they'd even have to sit outside and look through the windows. But they did worship together.
Michael EmersonIt's one of the things we find in these congregations is that they are much more likely to be sort of up-beat worship styles, more likely that people in these congregations say "Amen," maybe get up and dance some, tend to be a little bit more lively than a typical white service would be, but not as lively as a typical black service would be.
Michael Emerson