Contemporary voluntary associations in the urban black church: the development and growth of mutual aid societies

This paper is the result of a number of inquiries made into the mission work of the black church. It is primarily concerned with the contemporary urban black church and its role in creating and maintaining voluntary associations, particularly in the Mid-South. The intent is to show that black voluntary associations grew out of the black church and were socio-cultural adaptations to a hostile environment. In addition, it is the aim of this paper to show that Myrdal, et al. (1944) and others who have characterized blacks as "exaggerated Americans," or "over-joiners" of voluntary associations failed seriously to capture the significance of such developments. The final objective of this writing is that of revealing the ingenuity, strength and creativity of blacks in the development of voluntary associations. The specific focus of the ethnographic data contained herein is centered around two voluntary associations known locally as the Church Investment Fund and the Mount Moriah East Baptist Church Health Program, both of Memphis, Tennessee.