The caption "Riverside Church, Harlem" is a little misleading. Riverside is technically in Harlem, but just on the fringe, on Riverside Drive overlooking the Hudson. It's in a fairly wealthy area, is architectually quite splendid, and the congregation on average is pretty well-to-do. It's interdenominational, interracial, and multiethnic and is nationally, even globally, known for its strong social justice mission and tradition of powerful preaching.
Riverside is one of NYC's most important churches, and Martin Luther King choosing it as the venue for his anti-Vietnam War sermon was significant in that he was aiming at the consciences of the mid- to upper echelons of society. Preaching the sermon at Riverside also ensured wide media coverage.
The caption "Riverside Church, Harlem" is a little misleading. Riverside is technically in Harlem, but just on the fringe, on Riverside Drive overlooking the Hudson. It's in a fairly wealthy area, is architectually quite splendid, and the congregation on average is pretty well-to-do. It's interdenominational, interracial, and multiethnic and is nationally, even globally, known for its strong social justice mission and tradition of powerful preaching.
ReplyDeleteRiverside is one of NYC's most important churches, and Martin Luther King choosing it as the venue for his anti-Vietnam War sermon was significant in that he was aiming at the consciences of the mid- to upper echelons of society. Preaching the sermon at Riverside also ensured wide media coverage.