Abstract:
This paper examines the critical yet understudied role of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church within North America’s National Negro Convention Movement from 1830 to 1864, exploring how this Black religious institution functioned as a pivotal site for ontological resistance against the systematic violence of American antiblackness. By investigating the transnational religious networks, theological frameworks, and political strategies that emerged through this movement, I aim to contribute to ongoing scholarly conversations about how religion has historically functioned as both a source of meaning-making and a practical resource for communities navigating precarious existence. Drawing on AAR’s presidential theme of “Freedom,” this analysis bridges historical, critical, and constructive methodologies to demonstrate how antebellum Black religious actors developed sophisticated strategies of survival and resistance that transcended regional and national boundaries throughout North America.