Written by: Dr. Sonya Alise McKinzie
In churches across America, a quiet revolution is reshaping the spiritual, cultural, and social fabric of the Black church. African American women are increasingly stepping into the pulpit, not only as preachers but as senior pastors, bishops, and prophetic voices. Their presence is not merely symbolic—it is transformative. These women are redefining leadership, challenging patriarchal norms, and breathing new life into congregations and communities.
Historically, the Black church has been a cornerstone of African American life. It served as a sanctuary during slavery, a rallying point during the civil rights movement, and a source of strength in the face of systemic racism. Yet despite its liberatory mission, the church has often mirrored the gender hierarchies of the broader society. For generations, women were expected to serve behind the scenes—organizing events, teaching Sunday school, leading choirs—while men occupied the pulpit and the power it represented.
But African American women have always been spiritual leaders, even when unacknowledged. During slavery, they led secret prayer meetings and passed down oral traditions of faith. In the Jim Crow era, they organized auxiliaries and drove social justice efforts from behind the curtain. Their influence was undeniable, even without formal titles.
One of the earliest known African American women preachers, Jarena Lee, broke ground in 1819 as the first woman authorized to preach in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Though initially denied, she persisted, ultimately gaining support from Bishop Richard Allen. Lee traveled thousands of miles on foot, delivering sermons that drew crowds and challenged the idea that women were unfit for ministry.
The twentieth century saw more women step into ministry, though often still relegated to the margins. Rev. Dr. Prathia Hall, a theologian and civil rights activist, merged scholarship and activism in the pulpit. Hall, whose words inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” refrain, helped lay the foundation for what would later be called womanist theology—a movement centering the lived experience of Black women in theological reflection.
Womanist theology, first named by author Alice Walker and later advanced by theologians such as Katie Cannon and Delores Williams, gave African American women a new framework to express their faith. It challenged male-dominated interpretations of scripture and offered a vision of God that affirmed their realities. As Rev. Carla Jones Brown observes, womanism created space for Black women to “inhabit a new space with our full selves”—a sacred space that empowered rather than excluded.
Today, African American women pastors are leading some of the most vibrant, socially engaged congregations in the nation. Rev. Dr. Gina Stewart became the first woman elected president of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention. Bishop Vashti McKenzie broke a 213-year-old barrier when she became the first woman bishop in the AME Church in 2000. These women are more than spiritual leaders—they are policy influencers, youth mentors, justice advocates, and community bridge-builders.
Their ministries extend well beyond Sunday sermons. Many serve as counselors, educators, and activists. They confront issues such as domestic violence, mental health, incarceration, and economic disparity with prophetic insight grounded in both scripture and lived truth. Their leadership is inherently intersectional, responding to the unique challenges Black women and girls face while also addressing broader systems of oppression.
Yet despite their growing impact, African American women pastors continue to face institutional resistance. Some denominations still forbid the ordination of women. Others may permit women to preach, but not to pastor. Even in progressive spaces, they often work twice as hard to be seen as legitimate spiritual authorities. They stand at the crossroads of race, gender, and faith—disrupting tradition while reshaping it.
A 2021 Pew Research Center report highlighted that while Black pastors remain central figures in their communities, women pastors are still rare. Rev. Christine A. Smith, senior pastor of Restoration Ministries in Ohio, noted that while a few women pastor large congregations, they remain the exception rather than the rule.
This disparity is not rooted in lack of calling or competence but in deeply entrenched traditions and cultural expectations. Still, African American women pastors persist. Their sermons speak with clarity and conviction. Their leadership reflects grace and grit. They are redefining what it means to be a pastor—not only as a preacher of the Word but as a nurturer, a builder, and a spiritual mother to their communities.
What we are witnessing is not just a change in church leadership—it is a spiritual awakening. It is a reclaiming of sacred space, a rewriting of history, and a reimagining of the church’s future. These women are not only breaking barriers; they are building bridges—between generations, between genders, and between heaven and earth.
The future of the Black church may very well rest on its willingness to fully embrace the gifts and callings of its women. As more congregations open their hearts and doors, the church becomes a more just, inclusive, and vibrant institution. African American women pastors are not anomalies—they are heirs to a long and faithful legacy of women who have always led, always preached, and always believed.
Their lives are sermons—living testimonies of courage, endurance, and divine calling. And their presence in the pulpit is not only a win for women, but a triumph for justice, faith, and the continued evolution of the church.
References:
Rev. Carla Jones Brown. (n.d.). Black Women Preachers and Womanist Thought. African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS). Retrieved from: https://www.aaihs.org/black-women-preachers-and-womanist-thought
Pew Research Center. (2021, February 16). Faith Among Black Americans: Interviews with Black Pastors. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/02/16/interviews-with-black-pastors
Follow Us On Social Media!
