Black History is American history and by failing to remember the good and the bad, future generations lose momentum…
“If the man may preach, because the Savior died for him, why not the woman, seeing he died for her also? Is he not a whole Savior, instead of half of one?” These are the words of Jarena Lee when questioned as to why she was attempting to preach the Gospel as a woman. Apparently, she never received a response that satisfied her and went on to preach as an evangelist up until her death. Born on this day, Feb 11, in 1783, Jarena Lee did not receive spiritual guidance from her parents but through self discovery she developed her own relationship with Jesus and it eventually led her to preaching after she heard a voice instructing her to preach the Gospel. Jarena Lee tried consulting several male preachers including Richard Allen in Philadelphia who had created the first Black denominational church, the A.M.E. church but he explained to her there was no way for a woman to preach in the A.M.E. Undeterred, Jarena decided to preach as an evangelist and travelled thousands of miles on foot preaching during her lifetime. Evangelist Jarena’s most significant contribution is her autobiography that she published, producing 1000 copies and they sold so well that she published a 2nd edition. Her autobiography, The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena Lee, is the first autobiography written by a Black woman published in the United States. Evangelist Lee, preached to Black and White crowds, slave owners, slaves, and freed men and women and although people never stopped questioning her as to whether she should preach, this did not stop her from doing what she believed she was called to do. Evangelist Lee is a reminder that once God says it, there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Salute to Evangelist Jarena Lee for keeping her eye on the prize!