In Black Culture and Black Consciousness, historian Lawrence W. Levine emphasizes the role of religion in the cultural aspects of black identity formation. Through an examination of six selected black churches in the Atlanta area, this study explores the attitudes of church leaders and their congregants toward maintaining records to preserve institutional memory, as well as for legal and administrative reasons. The study examines the impact of recordkeeping practices on the churches' collective memory, and discusses black consciousness and black theology. Also discussed is the role that archives have on the preservation of institutional memory by expounding upon the notion of accountability and custody, their importance to the continued existence of these cultural religious institutions, and how they can greatly benefit the community as well as contribute to the historical literature in America.
The study employs a triangulation of methodologies, including content analysis, interviews and a survey.