Finding God in All the Black Places - by Beretta E Smith-Shomade

About the Book

Using a media studies lens of television, film, music, and digital culture, Finding God in All the Black Places argues that Black spirituality and church religiosity bolster audiences' understanding of and cultural competence with Black popular culture.

Book Synopsis

This book is also freely available online as an open-access digital edition:

https: //manifold.ecds.emory.edu/projects/finding-god-in-all-the-black-places

(https: //dhjhkxawhe8q4.cloudfront.net/rup-wp-v2/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/28132142/9781978839809.pdf)

In Finding God in All the Black Places, Beretta E. Smith-Shomade contends that Black spirituality and Black church religiosity are the critical crux of Black popular culture. She argues that cultural, community, and social support live within the Black church and that spirit, art, and progress are deeply entwined and seal this connection. Including the work of artists such as Mary J. Blige, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Prince, Spike Lee, and Oprah Winfrey, the book examines contemporary Black television, film, music and digital culture to demonstrate the role, impact, and dominance of spirituality and religion in Black popular culture. Smith-Shomade believes that acknowledging and comprehending the foundations of Black spirituality and Black church religiosity within Black popular culture provide a way for viewers, listeners, and users not only to endure but also to revitalize.

Review Quotes

"Smith-Shomade's research showcases her strength in weaving together compelling analyses that are deeply rooted in Black cultural communities, ultimately contextualizing the history and mission of Black spirituality in African and American mainstream culture. . . . An essential resource for those interested in understanding the rich intersections of the Black Church and Black popular culture."-- "Missiology: An International Review"

"Embark on an innovative and captivating exploration of spirituality in unexpected spaces with Finding God in All the Black Places. From the evangelism of Oprah to the passionate worlds of Queen Sugar and Eve's Bayou to delving into the testimonial power of artists like Mary Mary and Mary J. Blige, the author skillfully unveils how diverse belief systems influence media consumption. Dr. Smith-Shomade creates a stunning and fresh contribution to scholarship that transcends boundaries and enriches our understanding of faith in contemporary media studies."
--Robin R. Means Coleman "author of Horror Noire: A History of Black American Horror from the 1890s to Present, 2nd edition"

"Beretta E. Smith-Shomade takes readers on a much-needed whirlwind tour of spirituality and religiosity in black popular culture, from Mary J. Blige to Meshell Ndegeocello and the ministry of Oprah Winfrey. An important reminder of where we've come from...and where we're going."
--Kristal Brent Zook "author of I See Black People: The Rise and Fall of African American-Owned Television and Radio"

About the Author

BERETTA E. SMITH-SHOMADE is a professor in film and media at Emory University in Atlanta. She is the author of Shaded Lives: African-American Women and Television (Rutgers University Press, 2002) and Pimpin' Ain't Easy: Selling Black Entertainment Television. She has also edited two anthologies: Watching While Black: Centering the Television of Black Audiences (Rutgers University Press, 2013)--a Choice Outstanding Academic Title--and its remix, Watching While Black Rebooted! The Television and Digitality of Black Audiences (Rutgers University Press, 2023).