Louisiana Freedmen Missionary Baptist General Association

Edwin Buggage Editor-in-Chief Data News Weekly Faith and the Fight for Freedom As we approach Juneteenth, the historical legacy of the fight for freedom, justice, and equality is of the utmost importance. Within the African American community faith has always been important. For it is the beacon light that’s led that’s continued to sustain a community that to this day continues to strive to be empowered in a nation where Lady Liberty’s light is sometimes dimmed for as the iconic poet Langston Hughes stated, “I am the Darker Brother” in his epic poem “I Too Sing America.” An organization that’s been seminal in this fight is the Louisiana Freedmen Missionary Baptist General Association, established in 1868 by an ardent group of Christian men who assembled themselves to chart the way wherein they would maintain their enjoyment of freedom after the war between the states. “We just held the 155th Annual Session of the Freedmen Association in its 156 years of existence. The purpose of the organization is to “serve congregations.” The association is made up of pastors and congregants of local Baptist Churches. While each church is autonomous, Freedmen serves as an arm to facilitate conflicts with the church, Christian...