Final answer:
During Reconstruction, black churches became critical community institutions for African Americans throughout the South, providing leadership, organization, and services.
Step-by-step explanation:
During Reconstruction, black churches became critical community institutions for African Americans throughout the South.
They provided centralized leadership, organization, and served as community centers.
With access to pulpits and growing congregations, ministers played a key role in political leadership.
Churches also served as schoolhouses and were pivotal in expressions of the prophetic vision.
They provided services and networked to create a sense of autonomy for African Americans.