Be Ye Transformed: The King James Bible as Black Placemaking in the Rural South

Abstract:Religion and the use of the King James Version of the Bible has been central to Black geographic practices in the rural South. In this essay, we argue that while the KJV has been used to justify domination and colonization of land and people, it has an enduring presence in the rural Black South. We argue that, in complicated ways, Black Southerners have used the KJV as a tool of liberation and transformation within their communities. We begin the essay with our experiences as Afro-Carolinians with the KJV of the Bible. We then explore the KJV of the Bible as a literary tool, due to its accessibility in homes, schools, and churches, elucidating the role of women’s work in the process. Finally, we discuss the KJV and religion within the context of Black geographies framed by Katherine McKittrick’s notion of plantation futures.

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