Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BATON ROUGE – How has the Black church nourished Louisiana’s African-American community through centuries of turmoil? From the beginnings of Civil Rights Movement to the struggles for social justice and equity, Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) explores the importance of the Black Church in Louisiana, taking viewers on a journey across our state to show the history and the impact these institutions have made in our local communities. Louisiana’s Black Church: The Politics of Perseverance premiere’s Tuesday, March 9 at 7pm on LPB.

From the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, to voter registration drives in West Feliciana, the documentary reveals how Black churches were the backbone of Louisiana’s Civil Rights Movement. We see the significance of gospel music, which both inspired and supported the Black community. We also look at the current challenges facing Black churches.

“This is the kind of opportunity that makes working at LPB so exciting – the chance to research this topic, explore it, and then share it with our audience across Louisiana,” says LPB’s Kara St. Cyr who produced the documentary. “Our state has one of the largest number of historically Black Catholic Churches in the country. It was fascinating to explore the origins of both Black Catholic and Protestant Churches throughout our state.”

“The documentary from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song on PBS was really compelling and enlightening,” says LPB Executive Producer Linda Midgett. “It’s been a pleasure to build on the foundation of that national story by exploring what the black church means specifically in Louisiana.”

After the broadcast premiere, Louisiana’s Black Church: The Politics of Perseverance will be available for on-demand viewing at www.lpb.org/theblackchurch where you will find other valuable resources surrounding the subject.

About Louisiana Public Broadcasting

Since 1975, Louisiana Public Broadcasting has been the public television network for the state of Louisiana with stations in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport. LPB is also affiliated with WLAE-TV in New Orleans. In addition to its award-winning documentaries about the history and people of Louisiana, LPB is dedicated to helping children throughout the state develop their literacy, math and science skills through its numerous educational outreach programs.