Black Humanists

We don’t hear very much about Black Humanists. When I recently visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC, I did not see an exhibit highlighting Black Humanists or Freethinkers. I didn’t even know Black Humanists existed until I left religion. Like most Black Americans, I was raised Christian. Specifically, I was raised in a conservative Protestant tradition. It is also worth acknowledging that Black Americans may experience unique social, cultural, and community pressures to identify as Christian.

In many Black communities, the Black church has historically functioned not only as a religious institution but also as a center of social life, political organization, and cultural identity. As a result, a Black person publicly identifying as non-religious (secular humanist, freethinker, etc.) can carry more stigma, social or relational cost compared to some other racial or ethnic groups. Many Black people have to “come out” as non-religious. Otherwise, others will assume they are Christian. As we know, many people who are secular and their secular identities are underrepresented in the media and society. Therefore, I am sharing information about Black Humanists you may not have heard of.

About 21% to 22% of Black adults in the U.S. are non-religious (religiously unaffiliated) according to Pew Research Center. This is not a small number of people. This is roughly 7.5 to 8 million Black adults.

References

Cox, K. (2021, March 17). Nine-in-ten Black “nones” believe in God, but fewer pray or attend services. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/03/17/nine-in-ten-black-nones-believe-in-god-but-fewer-pray-or-attend-services/

Cox, K. (2025, December 2). Key facts about Black Americans and religion. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/12/02/key-facts-about-black-americans-and-religion/

Mohamed, B., Cox, K., Diamant, J., & Gecewicz, C. (2021, February 16). Faith among Black Americans. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/02/16/faith-among-black-americans/

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