The roots of African American spirituality arise from the African origins of the enslaved who were brought to the West in chains. Flora Wilson Bridges explores these "African retentions" from their manifestations in Africa, through their presence in the slave communities of the American South and in Black churches today. The unique spirituality that arose from these retentions influenced many prominent black leaders including Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. In a fascinating chapter, Bridges also shows how these African roots inform Black film, literature, and art.