Colgate Rochester Crozer to Host “Historically Speaking” Series on the Legacy of the Black Church: May 12 & 13
Rochester, NY: Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School will host the 2026 Historically Speaking Series on May 12–13, 2026. Presented in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Center for the Study of African American Religious Life (CSAARL) and Baber African Methodist Episcopal Church, this dynamic two day series invites community members, scholars, and civic leaders to engage the enduring legacy of the Black church while honoring its sacred traditions and equipping a new generation to preserve them. Through hands on workshops, exhibitions, and public conversations, the series explores how faith, memory, and justice intersect across time. All events are free and open to the public, and registration is encouraged.
The series begins on Tuesday, May 12, at Baber African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 550 Meigs Street in Rochester. The afternoon will open with a light reception from 3:00 to 4:00 PM, followed by the workshop Holding Sacred Things: Preserving the Legacy of the Black Church from 4:00 to 6:30 PM. This interactive experience asks how communities hold on to what is sacred and explores how Black churches can faithfully preserve their stories, traditions, and treasured artifacts. Participants will gain practical preservation techniques and engage in hands on training in collecting oral histories using accessible tools such as smartphones.
The series continues on Wednesday, May 13, at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, located at 20 East Avenue in downtown Rochester. The evening will begin with an exhibition and reception from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, followed by a panel conversation from 6:00 to 7:00 PM titled This Far by Faith: Race, Religion, and Rochester Then and Now. The exhibition will explore the events leading up to, during, and following the March 1969 Lock Out led by the Black Student Caucus at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Through photographs, news coverage, personal letters, and archival materials, attendees will engage a pivotal moment in the institution’s history and its lasting impact on theological education and social justice.
The panel conversation will examine the influence of religion and religious institutions on civic leadership and community formation in Rochester, while also reflecting on the preservation of Black religious traditions and the ongoing intersection of race, faith, and public life. The evening will feature remarks from Malik D. Evans, Mayor of the City of Rochester, who will help set the stage for the conversation. Additional participants include Erika D. Gault, Ph.D., CRCDS ’06, Director and Lily Endowment Curator of African American Religious Life at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Angela D. Sims, Ph.D., President and John Price Crozer Professor of Social Ethics at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Conā S. M. Marshall, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of American Religions at the University of Rochester, and Simeon Banister, President and CEO of the Rochester Area Community Foundation.
The Historically Speaking Series is designed to honor the legacy of the Black church while equipping communities with the tools to preserve and carry forward its stories. By bringing together scholarship, community engagement, and lived experience, the series fosters meaningful dialogue on the role of faith in shaping both history and the future. These events are free and open to the public. For additional information and to register, please visit www.crcds.edu/historicallyspeaking.
About Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School:
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, located in Rochester, New York, is a 207-year-old theological school committed to preparing leaders for religious communities and public life through rigorous theological and multireligious education. Rooted in a tradition that values critical inquiry, social engagement, and spiritual formation, Colgate Rochester Crozer equips students to serve diverse communities and to address the pressing challenges of our time. Through its programs and partnerships, the school’s mission is to form students in theological and multi-religious studies to serve, care, and advocate for all peoples and the earth. Learn more at: www.crcds.edu.
For additional information or media inquiries, please contact David Riddell, Chief Development Officer at driddell@crcds.edu or 585.689.1007.