::THE SLICE REPORT WITH MONA AUSTIN

Pentecostalism is often described as the “shouting side” of the Black church—but that shorthand barely scratches the surface. For more than a century, Black Pentecostal believers have carried a theology rooted in the power, presence, and immediacy of the Holy Spirit , shaping worship traditions, musical forms, and spiritual expectations across the United States and around the world. At the center of this movement stands a man whose name should be as widely known as any major religious reformer: William Joseph Seymour , the son of formerly enslaved parents who ignited a spiritual revolution from a small mission house in Los Angeles. Pentecostalism is often described as the “shouting side” of the Black church—but that shorthand barely scratches the surface. For more than a century, Black Pentecostal believers have carried a theology rooted in the power, presence, and immediacy of the Holy Spirit , shaping worship traditions, musical forms, and spiritual expectations across the United Sta...