Background

Albert Cleage was born on June 13, 1911, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. He was a son of Albert Buford Cleage, a physician, and Pearl Doris (Reed) Cleage, a founder of St. John's Presbyterian Church and the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit. Albert was the first of seven children in the family. Among his siblings were Louis Jacob Cleage, Henry Wadsworth Cleage and Hugh Cleage.

Education

In his early years, Albert studied at Detroit's Northwestern High School. In 1937, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Wayne State University.

In 1938, Cleage began to attend seminary degree program at Oberlin College, graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in 1943. In the late 1950's, Albert studied at the University of Southern California's film school, where he remained just for one semester.

Cleage also attended Fisk University, where Charles S. Johnson, a sociologist, was his mentor.

Career

Before commencing seminary studies at Oberlin College, Albert worked as a social worker at the Detroit Department of Health. In 1943, he was ordained in the Congregational Christian Churches. After ordination, Albert began serving as a pastor at the Chandler Memorial Congregational Church in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1944, he was made a pastor in an integrated church in San Francisco, The Church of the Fellowship of All Peoples, however, he didn't stay there for too long. Two years later, in 1946, Cleage began serving as a pastor at St. John's Congregational Church in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he remained till 1951, when he came back to Detroit.

In 1951, upon his return to Detroit, Albert was appointed a pastor at St. Mark’s Community Church. The core of Albert's church teaching was that Jesus was a black revolutionary, whose ancestors were dark-skinned Israelis. A collection of Albert's sermons on that topic was published in 1968 as "The Black Messiah". Cleage also wrote "Black Christian Nationalism: New Directions for the Black Church" and cowrote "Myths About Malcolm X: Two Views".

In 1953, Cleage and a group of disciples left St. Mark's Community Church and established the Central Congregational Church, that in the mid-1960's was renamed the Central United Church of Christ. Their mission was to minister to the less fortunate and they offered many programs for the poor, political leadership and education.

It was in 1964, that Albert was instrumental in the foundation of a Michigan branch of the Freedom Now Party. The same year, he ran for Governor of Michigan as a candidate in a "Black slate" of candidates.

In 1967, Albert started the Black Christian National Movement, which encouraged black churches to reinterpret Jesus's teachings to suit the social, economic and political needs of black people. The same year, Cleage renaimed his church The Shrine of the Black Madonna, which was later again renaimed as Pan African Orthodox Christian Church. In 1967, Albert unveiled the portrait of the Black Madonna in his church, that was considered to be a radical action at that time. Some time later, he established several shrines in Kalamazoo, Atlanta and Houston.

Moreover, Cleage promoted the education of the black children by black teachers. In addition, he edited a church published weekly tabloid newspaper, entitled the "Illustrated News".

In his later years, Cleage founded a church-owned farm, Beulah Land, in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, where he spent most of his last years.

Achievements

• Albert Cleage, Jr., or Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman, Black Nationalist and civil rights activist, was one of the most prominent black religious leaders in America. Agyeman preached a form of nationalism within the black community, that stressed economic self-sufficiency and separation, that relied on a religious awakening among black people.
  
  Also, Albert was a founder of the prominent Shrine of the Black Madonna Church, as well as the Shrine Cultural Centers and Bookstores in Detroit, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; and Houston, Texas.
  
  His most recognized work was "The Black Messiah" (1968). In this work, Agyeman argued, that Jesus was a black revolutionary, who sought to lead a "Black Nation" to freedom.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Black Messiah

    (This work represents a strong and uncompromising presenta...)

    1968
  • Myths about Malcolm X: Two Views 1968
  • Black Christian Nationalism: New Directions for the Black Church 1972

Religion

In 1943, Albert was ordained in the Congregational Christian Churches. Albert believed, that Jesus was black and that he was to save the black population. He argued, that the emergence of nationalist movements of the world’s colored majority would reveal the historic truth, that Jesus was the "non-white leader of a non-white people, struggling for national liberation against the rule of a white nation, Rome".

Politics

During the 1960's and 1970's, Albert was instrumental in the Civil Rights Movement in Detroit. In the 1970's, he became increasingly involved with Black Nationalism, rejecting many of the core principles of racial integration.

Albert also helped to elect Coleman Young as Detroit's first black mayor. He was also credited with helping further the careers of Barbara-Rose Collins and Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Moreover, Albert served at the New Detroit Committee. This organization was established in order to heal racial and economic divisions in the city, that were exposed by the civil disorder. However, Cleage didn't remain there for too long.

Views

Albert didn't believe in integration for the blacks. He was convinced, that it was important for them to be able to get and maintain an economic, political and social environment of their own.

Quotations: "Any ministry to black people, which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement."

Personality

In the early 1970's, Albert changed his name to Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman, meaning "liberator, holy man, savior of the nation" in Swahili.

Connections

In 1943, Albert married Doris Graham, a teacher. Their marriage produced two daughters, including Pearl Cleage, an author. In 1955, the couple divorced.

Father:

Albert Buford Cleage

Albert Cleage helped to found Dunbar Hospital, Detroit's only hospital, that granted admitting privileges to Black doctors and trained African-American residents. He was a major figure in the Detroit medical community, even being designated as City Physician by Mayor Charles Bowles in 1930.

Mother:

Pearl Doris (Reed) Cleage

Pearl was a founder of St. John's Presbyterian Church and the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit.

child:

Pearl Cleage

Brother:

Louis Jacob Cleage

Louis was a was a charter member of the Shrine of the Black Madonna Church and a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was well-known in the Detroit community for his lifetime involvement with civil rights. In addition, Louis was a contributing editor of the Illustrated News, where he wrote the column "Smoke Rings".

Brother:

Henry Wadsworth Cleage

Brother:

Hugh Cleage

ex-wife:

Doris Graham

mentor:

Charles S. Johnson

Friend:

Malcolm Little

References

• Albert Cleage Jr. and the Black Madonna and Child In this collection, black religious scholars and pastors, whose expertise range from theology, ethics and the psychology of religion, to preaching, religious aesthetics and religious education, discuss the legacy of Albert B. Cleage Jr. and the idea of the Black Madonna and child.
  2016