We are delighted and proud to announce that the Black Humanists and Non-Believers of Sacramento (BHNBS) are celebrating our 10th anniversary. On this particular occasion, we would like to take the opportunity to share our story of origin and reflect on our journey, the milestones we have achieved, and the community we have built going forward.
A decade ago, we started with a shared vision to create a space where Black atheists and freethinkers could connect and support one another. Today, we are proud and unapologetic about our non-belief and committed to promoting humanism and social justice in and outside our community.
This article delves into our formation story, the meaning behind our name, the activities we’ve engaged in, and our impact over the years. We’ll also share our plans for the next decade as we continue to foster a sense of belonging among Black non-believers in and beyond Sacramento. Join us as we commemorate this significant milestone and look forward to the future.
Our Formation
BHNBS was called for after a special event at the Sacramento Reason Center to view Jeremiah Camara’s then-new documentary, The Contradictions. The documentary examines the proliferation of Black churches in many African American communities that suffer from widespread and entrenched poverty. It argues that despite being a prominent institution, many Black churches have not influenced or helped change the economic conditions of Black communities.
Even though more than thirty-five people attended the event, only five or six African American atheists were present. After watching and discussing the powerful documentary, Bakari and Mashariki, active board members of the Reason Center, realized the need to form a group for Black atheists. We all exchanged contact information with the Black folks in attendance, and a few weeks later, we called for a founding meeting. (You can hear more about our formation in an interview with Bakari and Mashariki hosted by the Black Nonbelievers Inc.’s YouTube Channel, In the Cut.)
Why a Black Athiest Group?
There are multiple atheist and freethinker groups in Sacramento. Many Black individuals who do not abide by any religious beliefs or have renounced their faith may desire to connect with others who share similar cultural and racial backgrounds. It can be quite challenging and isolating to leave behind the church and adopt an atheist perspective. This is where atheist and freethinker groups play a crucial role. However, even if these groups are welcoming, many Black atheists may feel uncomfortable being a minority in predominantly white atheist groups.
Over the past decade, many Black atheists, some of whom had not yet revealed their non-belief to their loved ones, discovered BHNBS on Meetup.com or through a web search. They attended our morning breakfasts, were thrilled to learn that we existed, and wanted to socialize and share their experiences.
Our Group Name
One of the biggest challenges in forming our group was deciding its name. After lengthy discussions and debates, we finally settled on “Black Humanists and Non-Believers of Sacramento.” We chose this name because we wanted it to reflect our non-belief in theistic religious claims and the supernatural and, more importantly, our belief in humanity and social justice, which is what humanism represents. Later, we discovered that the “Non-Believer” part was a good conversation starter whenever we interacted with people from the Black community in Sacramento.
Our Activities
Over the years, we have collected online photo albums that provide a collection of memories, including Sunday morning breakfasts, monthly book clubs, tabling at MLK 365 Expos, Sacramento Black Book Fairs, nature walks and birdwatching, and the annual Sacramento Freethought Day events.
One of our most memorable tabling events was at the MLK 365 Expo and the Sacramento Book Fairs. Before these events, we were uncertain of how the attendees would receive us because we knew that most Black people, like most people in America, hold strong religious beliefs. Before attending the Expo and our first Book Faire, we had several meetups about our own experiences and how we came out to our friends and family about our atheism.
We also supported individuals who hesitated to discuss their atheism or lack of belief with their loved ones. We hoped that sharing our stories and those of our small group would enable us to feel more confident about tabling at the event.
Our engagement strategy was not to intimidate or look down upon religious believers. Our goal was to raise awareness among Black people that Black atheists do exist, and we are proud of our non-belief. Instead of going up to people and handing them a flier about our group, we engaged with those who approached us. We greeted visitors to our table with friendly smiles and engaged them in respectful conversation.
After attending the first Black event for a few hours, we felt reassured that we were accepted. Out of curiosity, many people stopped by and greeted us with good discussions and questions. Not surprisingly, some people questioned what we meant by “non-believers” because they couldn’t imagine what it meant not to believe in a god. We welcomed their questions and opinions because such discussions of atheism are rare for many people.
Over the years, dozens of members from Black and Brown communities have stopped by our tables and expressed their appreciation for our group’s existence because they, too, are atheists or questioning the religious convictions taught to them.
In addition to tabling, we have given presentations at conferences and group events, held monthly book club discussions, co-sponsored the presentations of black atheist authors Sikivu Hutchinson and Candace Gorhman at Sacramento Freethought Day events, and presented a panel about Humanism and Social Justice, hosted by Atheist and Other Freethinkers (AOF.)
Our Next 10 Years
If you have been part of a group or organization, you must know that members come and go, and a small group of committed organizers keep the group together. We want to express our gratitude to the individuals who have helped organize events and meetings and those who have attended our gatherings, participated in book discussions, and joined related activities.
We encourage you to attend our events this year. This will allow you to learn more about us and what we stand for. We are excited to engage with you and hope you find us a welcoming group.
Spending time with us will allow you to grow and develop new connections. We aim to maintain BHNBS and provide a space for individuals who share our vision of a life without religion while promoting humanism, social justice, and respect.
So stay tuned! We will select a month later this year to hold our first-ever anniversary celebration, which we hope you will attend.
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