How Faith Built Bridges for Black Unity in the Guianas with Dr. Briana Royster

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Journey through Black history and Caribbean connections, revealing the incredible legacy of Black missionaries in the British and Dutch Guianas. Dr. Briana Royster joins us to discuss how the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the National Baptist Convention played pivotal roles in connecting African American and Afro-Guyanese communities during the 19th and 20th centuries, connecting diasporic communities across the Atlantic and illuminating the intertwined stories of migration, race, and empowerment that span the Caribbean and the Americas. This episode sheds light on the shared struggles and cultural nuances, Black internationalism through religion, and how even Garveyism found contrasting receptions across lines of faith..

Turning our focus to the influential role of Afro-Guyanese women, we highlight the contributions of figures like Mrs. Dorothy Morris and Mrs. Constance Luckie. These trailblazers leveraged mutual aid networks and navigated church bureaucracy to secure vital community resources. We discuss the importance of oral history and personal archives and the often-overlooked influence of religion on global Black solidarity and social justice. Join us as we celebrate these unsung heroes and reflect on the enduring power of faith to unite and uplift Black communities worldwide.

Briana Adline Royster is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Gender and Race Studies at The University of Alabama. She received her PhD in History from New York University with concentrations in African Diaspora history and Latin American and Caribbean history. Her research interests center the histories of Black women primarily in the United States and the Caribbean during the first half of the twentieth century. Follow Dr. Royster on X. 

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