Black Religious Leaders: Conflict in Unity (2nd edition) (Book)
Peter J. Paris, Author. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.

This analysis of four African American leaders—Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Joseph H. Jackson, and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.—reviews their differences and determines whether grounds for coalitional activity still exist. These leaders all agreed that racism should be opposed but disagreed vigorously on the forms the opposition should take. The author analyzes their positions and finds that awareness of all of them is necessary for any comprehensive understanding of racism.

The Courage to Lead: Leadership in the African American Urban Church (Book)
James Henry Harris, Author. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2002.

James Henry Harris, a pastor and seminary professor, invites clergy and lay persons to consider what it takes to lead the African American church of the 21st century. Focus is offered on the unique tasks of the urban church and on the role of the pastor in leadership.

Leader Authenticity Markers: Findings from a Study of African American Leaders (Web Resource)
Todd L. Pittinsky and Christopher Jordan Tyson, Authors. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 2004.

In spring 2004, the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University published its second volume of working papers. As with the spring 2003 edition, these papers represent in-progress leadership research by Harvard faculty. Todd Pittinsky and Christopher Tyson explore the marks of an authentic church leader. Available as a free download. (You will need to have installed Adobe Acrobat.)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers (Web Resource)

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers at Stanford University contain a wealth of online materials on King, one of the greatest preachers of his time. His sermons and other speeches shaped a generation. The collection includes the full text of sermons such as "Knock at Midnight," "The Drum Major Instinct," "I've Been to the Mountaintop," and "Letter from Birmingham Jail." It is also possible to listen to audio clips on this site.

On Jordan's Stormy Banks: Leading Your Congregation through the Wilderness of Change (Book)
H. Beecher Hicks, Author. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 2004.

H. Beecher Hicks offers insight to help a congregation move forward in its ministry and role in the community. Arising out of Dr. Hicks’s experiences of coping with his church's need for a larger facility in the face of opposition from the surrounding community, this book shows how to face the tensions involved in defining a vision, confronting change, and dealing with obstacles—from within the church and from without.

A Wealth of Wisdom: Legendary African American Elders Speak (Book)
Camille O. Cosby and Rene Poussaint, Editors. New York, NY: Atria Books, 2004.

While not written specifically for the church, this book presents such notable leaders as John Hope Franklin, Fred Shuttlesworth, Andrew Young, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, and others—who share wisdom from their lives and experiences for the whole of the African American community and beyond.