Harold A. Carter

The book, "The Prayer Tradition of Black People", Reverend Dr. Harold Carter of the New Shiloh Baptist Church (Baltimore) is an excellent study. Dr. Carter reproduced copiously the prayers that were copied by folklorists or prayers secured from interviews of religionists or recalled by observers of religious services of postbellum and Southern blacks in the 20th-century.

The Rev. Dr. Carter provides an excellent analysis of the form, technique, biblical source, and style of these prayers. Many of which are still in use today because they have been passed down orally in the rural districts of the South from one generation to the next during the annual summer revivals.

This short book, probably about 145 pages, has no rivals. Few if any have performed or continued Dr. Carter's study. This book indeed should be read and that if it is out of print Dr. Carter and the publisher should be encouraged to bring out another edition.

This is an excellent work for seminary or bible students or just regular lay people or for students interested in the linguistic or literary history of African-Americans. Even an old copy is better than none at all. Grab a copy, even one that has been marked up, and check out this wonderful work on black religious life.

Books by Harold A. Carter

• The Prayer Tradition of Black People