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Since the inception of the first fully African American denomination was established in Philadelphia in 1818, churches have played a role in communities as much more than spiritual guidance. These churches have played the role of a home; places where, civic institutions, spaces for education, and sites for the cultivation of individuality and identities in the face of limited or non-existent freedom. In African American Religion : A Very Short Introduction, Eddie Glaude explores and analyzes the history of African American religion throughout the years. Glaude uses three examples: conjure, African American Christianity, and African American Islam. Glaude uses the term “African American religion” to exemplify the struggles African Americans have faced since they were enslaved; African Americans have used religion in response to oppressive conditions including slavery, Jim Crow apartheid, and the pervasive and institutionalized discrimination that exists today. Several of his claims throughout the book lay the framework for his interpretation of the wide diversity of religions among the African American community.