Rare Footage: Hundreds Gather at a 1920s African-American Baptism | National Geographic

community baptism is so integral to
religious practice in african-american
communities in the 20s there was a very
established since of strength and
support for one another
there are hundreds witnessing this
important moment the sort of going to
the river and it becomes a sort of holy
day you have the ministers that are out
there and then always girls adults all
coming in pairs being baptized
simultaneously you see individuals who
are as they say catching the Holy Ghost
the Spirit has invoked to them I don’t
think very many people have saying this
to be able to capture such a sacred
practice provides that moment into the
sort of cultural memory of many African
Americans