Florida’s Religious Syncretism: How Black Africans Interacted with Florida’s Diverse Religious Background

Lillian Hiscock

Senior SeminarDr. Butler

Spring 2016

The development of slavery in Florida is unique to the development of

slavery in other parts of the American South. Florida’s location and demographics

are what distinguish it from the rest of Southern slavery. Florida’s geographical

location lends itself well to being both a divider and a connector of the region

Florida’s unique location made its experience as a slave holding state

different from the rest of the South and affected both cultural and demography.

Although Florida is different from the rest of the South, studying the development of

slavery there may provide a microcosm for studying slavery in the United States as a

whole. One of the main goals of this paper is to determine whether Florida is really

exceptional to the rest of the United States or if Florida’s development was not

significantly different from other states. My hypothesis is that Florida slavery is

unique and an exception to the development of slavery in the Deep South- especially

due to the location and demographics combined with the unique religious exchange

that existed in Florida.

This study is important because it examines how African-Americans were

influenced by the religions that were the most prevalent in Florida which are

Protestant and Catholic Christianity. This study can also help readers understand

Florida’s presence and participation in southern culture and politics while providing

a microcosm to understanding slavery in the rest of the South.

To understand the religious exchange between African-American religious

traditions and Protestant and Catholic Christianity in the South, this paper will

examine both the Christian influence on African American religious systems as well

as identify some of the African American traditions survived the journey to Florida.

The religious and cultural exchange is unique to Florida because both Protestant

and Catholic denominations existed together. In addition, Florida is one of the only

states that was not dominated by plantation agriculture- this is one of the most

important differences that sets it apart from other states.

Within Florida, the state split between East and West and each side retained

vastly different characteristics. The East side of Florida developed plantation

agriculture far more rapidly that the West side of the state but still less when

compared to the rest of the South. This development led to a huge increase in the

number of slaves that occupied Florida. The wild terrain of the West side of Florida

made it ideal for producing fur and timber. Florida juts out from the rest of America,

which separates it physically from the rest of North America. This physical

separation manifests further into economic, cultural, and social differences that give

Florida its unique character. Some scholars say that Florida was the link between

Africa and the Caribbean. The cultural give and take between these three areas

contributed to a diverse cultural and religious identity for Floridians that included

Creole, Catholic, Protestant, and African cultural influence. The variety of cultures

that existed in Florida contributed to the varied religious history of the state. This

fact allowed Florida blacks to play a more elevated role compared to blacks in other

areas of the South- at least until the American occupation of Florida when plantation

agriculture became more popular and racial tensions grew between blacks and

whites.

It is impossible to disentangle the history of blacks in Florida from the colony and state’s broader history. And like the broader history of the colony and state, Florida’s black past defies easy generalization and is virtually unrecognizable to

those who have been conditioned to think of American history as the linear story of westward expansion by Anglos that began at Jamestown or Plymouth and inevitably ended on the golden coast of the Pacific. As a Spanish (and briefly British) colonial possession, Florida was equally part of the south-eastern borderlands, circum-Caribbean, and Atlantic world that was populated and influenced by various European and creole whites, Indians, and blacks from across Africa and the diaspora.1

This quote offers a clear and concise summary of the difficulties encountered

when trying to unravel the complex history that surrounds black experience in

Florida. The quote mentions African diaspora which, in the context of this paper, is a

term that describes the movement of African people from Africa to other parts of the

world, specifically through the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Although it is impossible to generalize the populations of Africans coming

from Africa to Florida, we do know that the Congo people from Central Africa

represented the largest ethnic group that entered Spanish Florida during slavery.

The fact that records were kept about what ethnic group Africans belonged to,

indicates that African ethnicity and identity was significant, at least among

Spaniards, and that Africans were not completely stripped of their identities yet.

Whether or not Africans were stripped of their unique regional backgrounds is

debatable. To disregard the regional differences of Africa however, would be a gross

generalization of such a complex country and would do the continent and its people

a disservice.2

Florida is a peninsula, which made travel to and from the United States

exceptionally easy compared to land-locked states. This made Florida a busy slave-

1 Amanda Carlson and Robin Poynor. Africa in Florida: Five Hundred Years of African Presence in the Sunshine State. Florida. University Press of Florida, (2014): 31.2 Ibid. 17.

trading state but also made it easier for slaves to escape. Many slaves escaped and

emigrated to South Florida, South American countries, to the north, or back to

Africa. Some slaves took advantage of the dense swamps and forests of Florida and

used the landscape as a natural shield against detection as they fled North to the

free states.3

Florida’s proximity to water is one of the main features of Florida that

facilitated the escape of slaves. Florida was a major state involved in the

transportation of slaves and the exchange of many different kinds of people.

Florida’s Spanish population provided another point of syncretism between African-

Americans and Catholicism, which is another factor unique to Florida.4

Some scholars contend that all African influence was extinguished as slavery

developed because white Europeans diluted the religious and cultural traditions of

African slaves. The survival of African culture was hotly debated during the mid-

twentieth century and three general schools of thought developed regarding the

subject. One perspective came from sociologist E. Franklin Frazier who believed that

the African culture that did survive the journey to America was insignificant because

of the extent to which slavery stripped Africans of their culture. Another opinion,

which is associated with anthropologist Melville Herskovits, is based on the belief

that African culture did indeed survive slavery in America and continued to be an

3 Larry Rivers. Rebels and Runaways: Slave Resistance in 19th-Century Florida. Chicago. University of Illinois Press, 1950. 15.4 Ibid.

important part of African culture. These “Africanisms” include aspects such as

animism, dancing, music, folk culture, and shouting during worship.5

When studying these different perspectives on whether or not African

culture survived in the first place, it is important to remember that although most

slaves came from West Africa, not all Africans from West Africa were similar. It is

impossible to generalize West Africans because there were a multitude of different

nations of people that came from Africa- some of them could not even communicate

with one another let alone understand each other’s religious beliefs. The study of

the African and American Christian religious experience is not as simple as

comparing and contrasting Africans and American Christians. Sidney Mintz and

Richard Price, both anthropologists, respond to the question of whether or not

African culture survived slavery by stating that a simple “yes” or “no” does not

satisfy the complexity of the question. They contend that slaves were creative in

picking and choosing what aspects of their culture would be most beneficial to

retain and what aspects they should modify to adapt more easily into American

Southern culture.6

As in other areas of the United States, blacks were often cast aside and made

to feel as they did not fit in to the surrounding southern white culture. One cultural

example of black exclusion is the choice of Stephen Foster’s, “Old Folks at Home” to

be the state song for Florida. The original lyrics of the song mock African dialect,

changing the word “river” to “ribber” and also refer to African Americans as

5 Timothy Fulop, and Albert Raboteau. African-American Religion. New York. Routledge, (1997): 36.6 Ibid.

“darkies” which was an offensive racial slur to African Americans. Over time, the

lyrics have been softened to be less offensive however, the underlying tone still

exists and the song’s racist undertones can never be extinguished. It is humiliatingly

ironic to Florida history that the African Americans who helped develop the state of

Florida are continually mocked by their own state song that was written by a

northerner who had never even been to Florida.7 This is just one example of the

attempts by white settlers to eradicate African culture.

The religious exchange between traditional slave religion and Christianity in

Florida demonstrates the persistence of African religious tradition in Florida despite

the slave trade. The elements of African religion that survived slavery were modified

and adapted to African American religious expression and continued to be

important to African Americans, especially throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

The timeline of this paper will cover the period between the United States’

occupation of Florida in 1821 to the emancipation of slaves in 1863. One of the main

sources this paper will utilize to accomplish these goals are the WPA Slave

Narratives. The narratives are a collection of interviews from former slaves about

their daily lives and experiences during slavery. The sampling of interviews include

slaves from variety of occupations that had relationships with their masters ranging

from harsh and impersonal to kind and benevolent. The slave interviews provide

insight into their thought and beliefs, especially regarding religion. Religion

provided slaves an escape from the daily monotony and cruelty of slavery and

7 Amanda Carlson and Robin Poynor. Africa in Florida: Five Hundred Years of African Presence in the Sunshine State. Florida. University Press of Florida, (2014):7.

offered them an opportunity to retain their humanity. The melding of African

traditions and Christianity offered African slaves the ability to practice their familiar

beliefs in a way that also helped them assimilate to American culture in the South.

Unlike other states in the American South, Florida’s black slaves were heavily

exposed to both Protestant and Catholic religion in Florida. Various occupations of

Florida affected the development of slavery and although this study focuses

primarily on the years between 1821 and 1863, a brief history of Spanish and

British rule in Florida is necessary to understand its development as a slave-state in

the American South. Various colonial occupations of Florida contributed to the

development of different attitudes towards slavery and racism in Florida.

African slavery was present in Florida during the first Spanish rule however,

the sparseness of Florida’s territory at this time limited the number of black slaves

that were imported for labor. The Spanish and British vied for occupation of Florida

and the Spanish actually used religion to bait African slaves into fleeing British

colonies. The Spanish offered enslaved blacks the opportunity for freedom in

Florida in exchange for their conversion to Catholicism.

One of the effects of the Spanish offering refuge to blacks who converted to

Catholicism was the development of Fort Mose in 1738. Fort Mose is unique in itself

and further exemplifies Florida’s unique impact in regards to the development of

slavery. Although the blacks who settled here were free, they were strategically

encouraged to settle there as a first defense for St. Augustine. Should a northern

invasion come down through to St. Augustine, Fort Mose would suffer the first and

most detrimental attack and would serve as a warning for St. Augustine. The blacks

that settled Fort Mose were indeed free but their freedom came at a price which was

to defend the larger city of St. Augustine. Although the Spanish were more lenient

towards blacks, it was often because they were being used to benefit Spanish goals.

Despite this, the blacks that settled Fort Mose were skilled soldiers and were

awarded far more freedom than neighboring black slaves. Many of the community

members were skilled and a friar was assigned to the community and instructed and

baptized the settlers of Fort Mose.8

When Britain gained control of Florida in 1763, the use of African slavery

increased greatly and was utilized for the production of cash crops and for domestic

labor. Britain controlled Florida until 1783 and during that twenty-year period, the

black population increased significantly

Spain took over Florida again in 1783 and after this point white settlers

began to move down to Florida. Spain welcomed settlers from the United States to

boost the economy and increase the population and popularity of the state as well as

to continue developing the colony. The relationship between Spain and the United

States is unique in the case of Florida because Spain granted religious sanctuary to

blacks that converted to Catholicism. Spain even allowed blacks to live in their own

settlements and carry weapons. The United States did not agree with this and

pressured Spain into tightening the restrictions on blacks. Spain stopped

recognizing the religious sanctuary previously offered to Catholic blacks in 1790,

this act led to an increase in slavery in the colony and discouraged blacks from

8 Amanda Carlson and Robin Poynor. Africa in Florida: Five Hundred Years of African Presence in the Sunshine State. Florida. University Press of Florida, (2014):

coming to Florida. The territory changes that led up to the United States obtaining

possession of Florida in 1821 sparked new developments in Florida.

By 1830, over 98 percent of Florida slaves were assimilated into Anglo-

American society. They were born in American and grew up surrounded by the

Christian religion that primarily belonged to whites. Middle Florida which

encompasses the area between Jackson County on the west to the Suwannee River

on the east, “consisted of six counties where over half of all enslaved blacks lived

and worked by 1860”. They were involved in Protestant worship, usually belonging

to denominations such as Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, or Congregationalists.

Spanish influence was still heavy near North Florida (Pensacola) and East Florida at

this time so in these areas there was a more likely presence of Roman Catholic

influence for blacks.9

In order to understand the religious exchange between traditional African

religion and Christianity it is important to realize that both religions had different

perceptions about their respective religious practices. It is also important to realize

that by the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, many African-Americans were

American born which made them more easily able to adapt to Southern cultural and

religious expectations. Christianity, especially evangelicalism, was one of the most

popularized religious sensations during this time, especially in the American south.

Albert J. Raboteau, author of Slave Religion, refers to slave Christianity as an

invisible-institution. Raboteau states that,

9Gary McDonogh. The Florida Negro: A Federal Writer’s Project Legacy. Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, 1993.

The religion of the slaves was both institutional and noninstitutional, visible and invisible, formally organized and spontaneously adapted. Regular Sunday worship in the local church was paralleled by illicit, or at least informal, prayer meetings on weeknights in the slave cabins. Preachers licensed by the church and hired by the master were supplemented by slave preachers licensed only by the spirit. Texts from the Bible which most slaves could not read were explicated by verses from spirituals. Slaves forbidden by masters to attend church or, in some cases, even pray risked floggings to attend secret gatherings to worship God.10

This quote reinforces Raboteau’s point that the religious expression of

Christian slaves was hardly confined to white rule or to the physical churches they

attended together. Slaves sought religious involvement outside of the confines of

white Southern ideals and often improvised their own forms of secret worship.

There was a base level of expected religious commitment by both blacks and whites

that mainly served to appease whites. At the same time, there existed a religious

duality for blacks as they tried to satisfy their own religious creativity and to

accommodate white Christian beliefs as well. The stance that white Christians took

towards educating black slaves is one of the most important factors that influenced

the religious exchange between Christian and African religions. For slaves that

embraced Christianity, it was often a way to celebrate their own religious beliefs

under the guise of a more culturally acceptable religious experience that matched

those of Southerners in general.

In an interview with ex-slave Anna Scott, Scott reveals that throughout her

experience as a slave she was not denied religion but it appears that religion was

often offered by whites at the cost of their traditional African values. According to

the narrative,

10 Albert Raboteau. Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. New York. Oxford University Press, (1978): 215.

Mrs. Abigail Dover, her owner, permitted the slaves to attend revival and other services. The slaves were allowed to occupy the balcony of the church in Dove City, while the whites occupied the main floor. The slaves were forbidden to sing, talk, or make any other sound, however, under the penalty of sever beatings. Those of the slaves who ‘felt the sperrit’ during a service must keep silence until after the service, when they could ‘tell it to the deacon’, a colored man who would listen to the confessions of professions of religion of the slaves until late into the might. The negro deacon would relay his converts to the white minister of the church, who would meet them in the vestry room at some specified time.

The interview goes on to describe the question and answer process that

slaves and their deacons underwent to determine whether or not the slave in

question truly believed in the Christian doctrine. If a group of slaves expressed their

desire for baptism, they would meet and hold a group baptism in a nearby creek or

river. After they were baptized, they could hold their own services so long as they

did not disrupt their work.11

This account of Mrs. Scott’s experience with religion on a Florida plantation

reinforces the idea that slaves had to adapt their traditional religions to fit the

American traditions that existed in the states they were taken to. This was especially

important in the South because religion played such a large role in the culture and

social hierarchy of the South. Aside from helping slaves to assimilate into Southern

culture, integrating Southern religious traditions gave slaves a way to relate to white

Southerners and to use the religion to contest the existing social hierarchy in the

South.

While the hierarchical structure of Methodism severely limited the possibility of black members organizing their own churches under their own black preachers, the Methodist churches before and after 1845 included large numbers of

11 Norman R. Yetman, An Introduction to the WPA Slave Narratives. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938. Last modified March 23, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snintro00.html. 281

black members in the regular stations and circuits, as well as in missions, and regularly licensed black men as exhorters and local preachers.12

Methodism was the most lenient denomination in the antebellum South. It

was rare to find black ministers among Presbyterian, Lutheran, Disciples,

Espisopalian, or Moravian denomination. One slave owner, named Redding Pamell

from Madison, Florida, allowed his slaves to take religious instruction from a black

minister. One of his slaves, Mrs. Amanda McCray, discusses how the black minister

was able to preach any time he wanted as long as he didn’t interfere with the work

of the slaves. According to McCray,

He was not obliged to do hard menial labors and went about the plantation ‘all dressed up’ in a frock coat and store-bought shoes. He was more than a little conscious of this and was held in awe by the others. He often visited neighboring plantations to hold his services.13

This quote demonstrates that religious figures were revered in African-

American slave communities. It seems that they also took advantage of their

privileged status to avoid hard labor. This is reflected in some cases by similar

demonstrations of deference in traditional African religions. Ministers were often

the first informants for the rest of the slaves and took advantage of their elevated

status among the slave community.

McCray’s story goes on to describe the lives of children on this particular

Florida plantation. This is relevant because she describes their first introductions to

12 Albert Raboteau. Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. New York. Oxford University Press, (1978): 207.13 Norman R. Yetman, An Introduction to the WPA Slave Narratives. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938. Last modified March 23, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snintro00.html.

religious life on the Pamell Plantation. McCray notes that the children are allowed to

live carefree lives until about the age of thirteen after which point they are expected

to help in whatever way they can. McCray states that the children were duly

schooled in all the current superstitions and listened to the tales of ghosts and

animals that talked and reasoned, tales common to the Negro today.14 McCray also

states that everyone on the plantation celebrated Christmas which exemplifies the

religious exchange between African and American culture. These statements by

McCray reveal the duality of religious education young slave children received on

this plantation. They were encouraged to follow along and understand the

significance of African folklore as well as to celebrate Chrisitan holidays such as

Christmas and to believe in Christ. To understand black religion, it is necessary to

study it on its terms first, without comparing it to Christianity. Once this is

accomplished, then the two religions can be compared to highlight the religious

exchange.

The development of black Christian churches in Florida and the rest of the

south were characterized by many of the same qualities for both blacks and whites.

Both groups sought a personal, emotional connection with God, placed heavy

importance on evangelicalism and spreading the gospel and relied on conversions,

revivals, and baptisms to spread the faith. Both groups experienced intense bouts of

emotionalism and strove to encourage others to embrace Christian religion.

Christianity was not exempt from racial discrimination- in fact, evangelical

congregations were sometimes segregated or formed completely new religious sects

14 Ibid.

over racial tensions. American slavery, especially in the south, reinforced the

religious doctrine of white supremacy and marginalized the black religious

experience.

Although blacks did have some religious autonomy, Christianity was often

seen as a white man’s religion and carried with it many contradictions. Blacks often

wondered, if there was a God, why would they be subject to the harsh realities of

slavery? White’s offered no consolation and it is only the presence of black ministry

and the offshoot of several black denominations that encouraged the practice of

Christianity for blacks. Some slaves embraced Christianity for the hope and

salvation it offered, some searched for answers to the questions they had about

slavery, and some went along with it to get out of work or to serve as an excuse to

learn to read and write. Regardless of the reason behind it, many slaves embraced

Christianity and adapted it to suit their religious needs. The religious exchange

between Africans and Christians can be seen in some examples of Florida

plantations.

The development of black churches in America is contradictory to white

Christianity because in many instances slavery was used as a justification for

spreading the gospel. Evangelical Christian whites clamored for the opportunity to

convert blacks to Christianity and often relied on the manipulation of religious

doctrine to reinforce their dominance. The main goal was to keep blacks complacent

and loyal in their position in the social hierarchy of the American south.

One of the best examples of religious exchange on Florida plantations is of

the archaeological studies done by James Davidson through the University of Florida

on Kingsley Plantation. This source is a collection of findings from archaeological

digs on Kingsley Plantation. Anthropologist James Davidson found evidence of slave

burial sites and rituals throughout Kingsley Plantation. One of the most fascinating

finds is what appears to be a religious sacrifice of a whole chicken skeleton with an

egg still inside it. The context in which the chicken was found leads Davidson to

believe it was part of an African religious ritual. The chicken was found intact buried

on top of an egg and was buried with an amber-colored seed bead and what appears

to be a piece of mottled sandstone. Animal sacrifice is practiced commonly

throughout many African cultures and chickens are some of the most common

animals sacrificed. The sacrifices can mark births, deaths, dedications of buildings,

or serve as general sacrifices to deities.15

In addition, a burial ground was discovered on Kingsley Plantation in 2010

with remnants of five early 19th century human burials documented. One of the

major indicators of religious exchange between Africans and Europeans based on

this discovery is the presence of a formal cemetery separate from domestic space.

Separation between burial sites and living quarters is not typical for many West and

Central African communities. In addition, the formal arrangement of the bodies in

rows and the use of wooden coffins is typical of Europeans rather than Africans.

Many African cultures bury their dead near their homes, sometimes even

underneath their homes.16

15 U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Interim Report of Investigations of the University of Florida by James Davidson, PH.D. Florida, University of Florida, 2011.16 Ibid. The sacrifice of chickens is reminiscent of African and Catholic traditions that offer sacrifices to deities. This practice can often be compared with Santeria however, Santeria is most commonly practiced among the Yoruba people of Africa.

One of the main goals of slave owners was to completely eradicate the

previous religious beliefs of slaves. This ideal would promote loyalty and allow slave

masters to mold their slaves to follow a particular doctrine that was conducive to

the demands of the slave owner. Religious syncretism between blacks and white

Christians was not the intention of whites- it was a byproduct of clashing opinions.

Inevitably, the religious culture of each group grew to accommodate the culture of

the other. One of the reasons religion was so important to slaves was because it

linked their past in Africa to their new future in America. The journey to America

was traumatizing and stressful and in many cases, religion offered slaves a sense of

humanity and hope for a better future.

To understand the religious exchange between black Africans and white

Christians, it is important to understand some of the customs that slaves brought

with them from other parts of the world. Some religious traditions are quite similar

to Christian rituals. For example, many Africans worshipped one high God and also

celebrated smaller deities. This resembles the Catholic custom of worshipping

saints. In both instances, devotees would give offering to the saints or lesser gods

and do all they could to appease them. Africans would naturally be inclined to adopt

some aspects of Catholicism then due to the similarities between the two methods of

worship, which offers another reason why Africans may have been attracted to

practicing Catholicism.

Another similarity between African religious traditions and Southern

Christianity is the importance of music and dance. Depending on the denomination,

music and dance could play a vital role in worship for Southern whites. Although

this aspect of worship was more important for Africans, it remained a bridge

between the two religions. The emotionalism that can be found most often among

African religious expression translated into white Christianity and reinforced the

values of the Great Awakening. One aspect that is unique to Africans however, is the

possession of devotees during musical/dance rituals.

Among the Yoruba and the Fon, the orisha and the vodun are called to take possession of their devotees by the songs and the drumming of the cult group, each of the gods having his own or her own songs or rhythms. When ‘mounted’ by their gods, the devotees dance to an accompaniment of songs and music the distinctive steps revelatory of their gods. So essential are music and dance to West African religious expression that it is no exaggeration to call them ‘danced religions.17

Based on this quote, it is evident that religion was extremely important to

Africans and they brought these beliefs with them to the New World. Old traditions

were suppressed in many ways but somehow they morphed into new traditions and

survived the assimilation into the culture of the American South.

Marriage is one of the biggest contradictions because it meant to completely

different things for slaves and slave-owners.

The wedding ceremony was meant to solemnize and publicly announce the union, in love, of two individuals- and here lay the terrible irony- which was to last for life, a union which God had made and no man was to break asunder. For slave weddings, no matter what form they took, could not escape the threat inherent in slavery, a threat which contradicted the very notion of Christian marriage: the constant possibility of separation by sale.18

Based on this quote, it is evident that every aspect of slave life was

dependent on the slave owner. Even traditionally personal religious events such as

17 Albert Raboteau. Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. New York. Oxford University Press, (1978): 15.

18 Ibid. 228

marriage were imposed upon by white owners, which further demonstrates the far-

reaching influence whites had on black religious views.

Clayborn Gantling was a slave to Judge Williams who owned a plantation in

Jacksonville, Florida. Gantling states that,

Before freedom we always went to white churches on Sundays with passes but they never mentioned God; they always told us to be “good niggers and mind our missus and masters.19

Once again, it is evident that whites manipulated religious doctrine in order

to assimilate slaves into being good, obedient workers. The African-American

reaction varies. Some African-Americans embraced Christianity and embodied its

promise for hope and did abide by the prescribed doctrine for success by obeying

their masters. Others, used religion as a means for rebellion. In many cases, religion

was substituted for education to blacks and the doctrine often revolved around

white interests. Whites avoided educating blacks and often forbid them from

learning to read or write which would prevent them from thinking for themselves

and rebelling against whites.

Some whites were sympathetic however, and blacks were persistent in their

desire to be educated. The Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine exemplifies the fact

that the legacy of African enslavement remained in Florida after emancipation and

the struggle for education continued to be an important goal for recently freed

blacks. An example of religious education for blacks after emancipation is the Sisters

of St. Joseph of St. Augustine. These women were white nuns who came from the

19 Norman R. Yetman. An Introduction to the WPA Slave Narratives. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938. Last modified March 23, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snintro00.html. 141.

Motherhouse in Le Puy, France in 1866 to answer the call of Augustin Verot who

wanted the nuns to come to St. Augustine to teach African-Americans. The Sisters

taught in Lincolnville at St. Benedict the Moor School. This building was constructed

in 1898 and was one of the first schools for blacks in Florida.

Florida was and still is a melting pot for different types of religious practices

and beliefs. The legacy of Florida slavery continues and the effects can be seen in

modern day race relations in Florida. The unique location of Florida allowed it to be

a trading center that promoted the cultural and religious exchange that makes

Florida slaves unique from slaves from the rest of the South. The most

distinguishing factor of Florida slaver religion is the fact that African-Americans

were exposed to both Protestant and Catholic Christianity in the same state. Beyond

that, the wide variety of Protestant denominations offer an even more complex view

at the development of a religious hybrid between African religious traditions and

Christian religion.

The wide variety of colonial Florida occupation also contributed to the

uniqueness of Florida’s religious history. Many countries vied for control of Florida,

which influenced the presence of different groups of people. As stated previously,

the first Spanish possession of Florida did not heavily encourage the development of

slavery and the Spanish were generally much more willing to grant blacks autonomy

than white Southerners in the Unites States. The Spanish allowed blacks to have

their own communities and carry weapons, they even offered them their freedom if

they agreed to convert to Catholicism.

It was not until the British occupation of Florida that slavery became a much

more popular labor system. The huge influx of African-Americans to Florida and

also increased tension between Spain, Britain, and the United States. Slaves were

not allowed religious sanctuary for converting after 1790 and Florida became an

incredibly popular area for trading and selling slaves. The landscape of Florida and

its presence as a busy trading hub are the factors that contributed to the religious

and cultural exchange between black Africans and white Christians.

Overall, Florida is a unique exception to the development of slavery and slave

religion in the rest of the South. The presence of Protestant and Catholic religion

along with African religious traditions creates a unique religious culture in Florida

that is not seen in other states of the South. The differences that existed between the

East and West sides of Florida further differentiate the state and contribute to its

separation from the rest of the Southern United States in regards to the

development of slavery. Africans experienced slavery and adapted their religion to

fit in with the unique exchange between Protestant, Catholic, and African tradition

to form a religious culture that can only be found in Florida.

Bibliography

Carlson, Amanda and Poynor, Robin. Africa in Florida: Five Hundred Years of African Presence in the Sunshine State. Florida. University Press of Florida, 2014.

Fulop, Timothy and Raboteau, Albert. African-American Religion. New York. Routledge, 1997.

McDonogh, Gary. The Florida Negro: A Federal Writer’s Project Legacy. Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, 1993.

Raboteau, Albert. Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. New York. Oxford University Press, 1978.

Rivers, Larry. Rebels and Runaways: Slave Resistance in 19th-Century Florida. Chicago. University of Illinois Press, 1950.

U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Interim Report of Investigations of the University of Florida by James Davidson, PH.D. Florida, University of Florida, 2011.

Yetman, Norman R. An Introduction to the WPA Slave Narratives. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938. Last modified March 23, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snintro00.html.