The Role Of Black Churches In The American Society During The Civil Right Movement

ARDHIYANTI, MFY Liza Dwi, S2 Pengkajian Amerika-- Dr. Djuhertati Imam Muhni, M.A

2003 | Tesis | S2 Pengkajian Amerika

Kebesaran Amerika tidak dapat dipisahkan dari peristiwa besar tahun 1960an dimana gerakan perjuangan hak asasi manusia atau lebih dikenal dengan Civil Rights Movement terjadi. Civil Rights Movement muncul sebagai reaksi atas diskriminasi yang dilakukan oleh orang kulit putih Amerika terhadap orang kulit hitam yang didatangkan dari Afrika lebih dari 200 tahun yang lalu sebagai udak. Diskriminasi terjadi pada semua aspek kehidupan orang kulit hitam, tidak hanya pada aspek politik, sosial dan ekonomi tetapi juga agama. Terbentuknya gereja untuk orang kulit hitam menjad imomentum penting dalam perkembangan sejarah kesadaran diri pada orang kulit hitam bahwa diskriminasi yang mereka alami sangat bertentangan dengan ajaran Kristen bahwa Tuhan menciptakan manusia setara dalam segala hal . Gereja juga memberikan pengalaman ke pemimpinan untuk para tokoh dan pimpinan gereja sehingga tidak mengherankan apabila banyak pejuang hak asasi manusia dalam Civil Rights Movement yang berasal dari gereja. Penelitianiniakan mencoba mengungkap tidak hanya bagaimana kondisi kehidupan Kristiani orang kulit hitam Amerika sejak jaman perbudakan hingga Civil Rights Movement, tetapi juga seberapa besar peranan gereja orang kulit hitam dalam mensukseskan perjuangan hak asasi manusia melalui Civil Rights Movement.

The American greatness can not be separated from the 1960s events in which the struggle of human rights or it was usually called Civil Rights Movement took place. Civil Rights Movement appeared as the reaction of discrimination done by white Americans toward black Americans who were brought from Africa to America about more than 200 years ago as slaves. Discrimination was found in almost every aspect of black’s lives not only politic, social and economic but also in religious life. The establishment of Black churches became the significant moment in developing black’s awareness that discrimination they had experienced was very contradictory with Christian teachings in which God has created all people – whites and blacks equal in all aspects. Church also provided leadership experience for their prominent figures and leaders. Therefore, it was not surprising that most of the Civil Rights Movement leaders were from church. This research tries to reveal the condition of Black Christianity from slavery up to the Civil Rights Movement. The role of black churches during the Civil Rights Movement and the contributions made by the church leaders or followers that made the Civil Rights Movement a success is also tried to be revealed in this research.

Kata Kunci : Black Church, AJaran Kristiani, Diskriminasi, Segregasi dan Civil Righs Movement