As both a preeminent scholar of Balck Angelican and Episcopalians and devout parishoner, the late James Hewitt writes an illuminus hsitory of one of the most famous black congregrations in America. From its humble beginnings, St. Philip's originated from classes conducted by Elais Neau and other Angelic clerks for the society for the propagations of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. From these cateisem classes emerged a higly educated, African-American group comprised of free and enslaved blacks. W.E.B Dubuois hailed it as the foundation for the Talented Tenth in his classic book Souls of Balck FolkAfter the American Revolution, St. Philip's has since becoem the church of middle-class blacks across New York City. Hewlitt's careful and percise scholarship chronicles over two centuries of of the church's history, which fills a significant lagun in African-American Religious history.Acknowledgments; Introduction; Chapter 1: How the Episcopal Faith Came to Black New Yorkers; Chapter 2: Peter Williams, Jr: New York's First Black Episcopal Priest; Chapter 3: The Racial Attack on St. Philip's Church; Chapter 4: Continuing the Fight Against Racism; Chapter 5: Mr. Downing and His Oyster House; Chapter 6: Elizabeth Jennings: A Woman to Remember; Chapter 7: Reaching Toward the End of the First Century; Index.John Hamilton Hewitt, Jr. (1924 - 2000) The author's education included Harvard College (1941-1943) and New York University (Bachelor of Arts, 1948; and Master of Arts, 1949). He began his professional career as a reporter for the People's Voiceand the New YorkAmsterdam News. He then went to Morehouse College as a professor of English, and later Co-Chairman of the Division of Humanities, 1948-52. Hewitt served as a staff writer for Frontiers of Psychiatry, and associate editor of Medical Tribune, also as managing editor of Hospital Practice. Hewitt was also a fl3!