In the Spring of 2020, PHS documented moments of hope amidst the COVID-19 pandemic through our Easter Sermon Collection. Later that year, the country grieved and grappled with its legacy of racial violence in the wake of the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.

As stewards of history, we at PHS have a responsibility to not only document what has happened in the past, but to recognize the history we are living through today. Moved by the nationwide protests that saw millions flock to the streets in support of Black Lives Matter, PHS began collecting videos of PC(USA) pastors and leaders responding to the movement for justice. The result is the Racial Justice collection—a curated collection of more than 100 publicly-accessible videos documenting Presbyterian responses to and accompaniment with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Visitors to the Racial Justice Collection—accessible through Pearl Digital Collections, the society’s online archive—can view sermons, worship services, Bible studies, messages from pastors, and news coverage of Presbyterian responses to Black Lives Matter from 2015 to 2021. These videos, many captured in homes and empty churches because of the coronavirus pandemic, offer guidance and a space to mourn.

Thank you to the congregations and worshiping communities who helped us preserve the Presbyterian calls for justice.

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View the Racial Justice Collection in Pearl here.

Find resources for self-study on racism here.