Episode 48: Black Freethinkers, with Dr. Christopher Cameron

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Christopher Cameron, a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the author of Black Freethinkers: A History of African American Secularism. We talk about Chris’s own winding path to atheism before getting into the history. What do we know about the religion of enslaved people? Were there any atheists among them? How did religion change after the end of slavery? Did atheism play a role in the Civil Rights Movement? We also find out whether a “true atheist” can miss things about being a believer.

In the bonus section, available exclusively for Patreon supporters, we ask about Chris’s thoughts on the current state of the secular movement, and whether he has come across any really shitty atheists in his research.

For more on Chris: https://pages.charlotte.edu/christopher-cameron/
Check out his book, Black Freethinkers: A History of African American Secularism: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Freethinkers-American-Secularism-Insurgencies/dp/0810140780/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=black+freethinkers&qid=1568467548&sr=8-1
Check out his contribution in OnlySky: https://onlysky.media/salasady/what-do-you-miss-and-not-miss-about-religion/

The three books Chris recommended by Black freethinkers:
Sikivu Hutchinson, Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars: https://www.amazon.ca/Moral-Combat-Atheists-Gender-Politics/dp/057807186X
Anthony Pinn,The End of God-Talk: An African American Humanist Theology: https://www.amazon.ca/End-God-Talk-American-Humanist-Theology/dp/0195340833
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time: https://www.amazon.ca/Fire-Next-Time-James-Baldwin/dp/067974472X

Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander
Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/

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Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/podcasts