Blog

Each month, the Presbyterian Historical Society is bearing witness to the lives of African American leaders throughout the history of the denomination. Click here to learn how PHS is collecting records of the Black Presbyterian experience through the African American Leaders and Congregations Initiative.

Additionally, a free bulletin insert about each figure is available for download at the end...

--by Nancy Ehrlich

Oral tradition, written reminiscences, snippets of his public life, and a few public records offer glimpses of Nicholas Carper’s call to use his gifts and talents to preach God’s word.[1]

Nicholas Carper was born enslaved in 1776, probably in the western Virginia mountains. His mother, name unknown, was the property and daughter of German Evangelical John Jacob Carper. At some point, Nicholas and his mother came into the possession of Jeremiah James “Jerry” Jack of Huguenot descent...