Easter, also referred to as Resurrection Sunday, is arguably the most important of all Christian holidays. For the Black community, it is more than just Easter bunnies and egg hunts; it is a time of deep connection, rich traditions, and joyous celebration. From the Easter Sunday outfits to the delicious meals, many Black families have developed their own unique traditions which have been passed down from generation to generation.
While the ways in which Easter is celebrated vary from country to country, one thing that remains the same is that Easter is a time for family and friends to come together and enjoy each other's company.
However, how Black communities celebrate Easter can vary depending on cultural and regional traditions. Despite these differences, one thing that remains constant is the emphasis on family time and reflection. In this article, we will explore how Black folks celebrate Easter across the world and how they use this holiday to connect with their loved ones and express gratitude. Whether through food, music, or spiritual practices, Easter provides an opportunity for Black communities to unite and uplift one another.
Easter is April 20, 2025. However, you celebrate this very special and sacred occasion.
Bet You Didn't Know: Easter Traditions | History
The Religious Significance of Easter
Easter, one of the most significant holidays associated with the Christian faith, is a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It holds great value for many Black families, both in Africa and across the diaspora.
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Historically, Easter fashion was a way for African Americans to showcase their economic and social status. For many, these Easter outfits represent a new beginning. So they stop at nothing to look good. However, Christians aren’t required to dress a certain way for Easter.
For most Black families, Easter activities begin at church, and it’s like a party as families celebrate the risen Lord.
During my childhood, Easter, particularly Good Friday, was a time of deep reflection and solemnity. We spent time in church reflecting on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The service usually felt like we were in mourning, with the quiet hymns and somber sermons creating a sense of grief.
Like most holidays, its origins extend beyond Christianity. Easter was “derived from a combination of Jewish lore and pre-Christian and pagan practices.
It was during the reign of the fifteenth pope, Saint Victor I, that the day of Easter celebrations was universalized to be celebrated on Sunday. Victor was a native of northern Africa, and served as pope from 189 to 199 A.D. He was the first pope native to Africa, followed by only two other African popes, Saint Miltiades, who served as the 32nd pope from 311 to 314 A.D., and Saint Gelasius I, who was the 49th pope from 492 to 496 A.D.
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More notably, roughly 100 years after Pope Victor I’s declaration of when Easter was to be celebrated, we can trace a very common tradition back to that period; the new outfit for Easter Sunday: “In the early days of Christianity, newly baptized Christians wore white linen robes at Easter to symbolize rebirth and new life. But it was not until 300 A.D. that wearing new clothes became an official decree, as the Roman emperor Constantine declared that his court must wear the finest new clothing on Easter.
Centuries later, popular superstitions furthered the tradition. A “15th-century proverb from Poor Robin’s Almanack stated that if one’s clothes on Easter were not new, one would have bad luck: ‘At Easter let your clothes be new; Or else for sure you will it rue.’ In the 16th Century during the Tudor reign, it was believed that unless a person wore new garments at Easter, moths would eat the old ones, and evil crows would nest around their homes.”
In the United States, modern Easter traditions were not celebrated until after the Civil War; “After the devastation of the war, however, the churches saw Easter as a source of hope for Americans.
Accountant Frank K. Ross (1943 - ), when talking about Easter Sunday as a young boy, smiled and remembered, “Easter is the day we all got to change our clothes. In other words, we got new Easter outfits. So our old Sunday clothes now became our school clothes. And old school clothes now became, you know, the knock around clothes.”
Professor of social policy Jewelle Taylor Gibbs (1933 - ) recalled: … one of the sights I remember most as a child is Easter Sunday, when all the ladies had the beautiful hats.
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Actress Janet Adderley (1956 - ) also pointed out the importance of the perfect Easter hat: “…Easter Sunday was the day. And all of these women spent hours getting the perfect hat to coordinate with the perfect suit with the same shoes and the leopard skin, you know, purse, and I mean it was, it was hard core… and as a little girl, each Easter we got a new pair of white patent leather shoes, and we got some lovely Easter bonnet that we would have to wear. And then every Easter we’d stand out in our front yard and take a family photo, that was the photo that marked our growth each year was Easter Sunday.”
This was echoed by wife of blues legend Willie Dixon, Marie Dixon (1937-2016): “We looked forward to having an Easter outfit. That was one thing that my parents made sure we had… in spite of having very little money.
Then there were the other coming of age Easter traditions as told by labor activist and pastor Reverend Addie Wyatt (1924 - 2012): “… one of the great benefits of children in the black church… is that you learned to speak before great audiences. And you have to perform and the people will determine whether or not you’re doing well, and they would let you know that.”
Civil rights lawyer Thomas N. Todd (1938 - ) remembered this tradition as well: “I was asked to give an Easter speech, when I was four years old. And, and my speech was-and I still remember that speech-my first public speech was, ‘I didn’t come to stay. I just came to say, ‘Happy Easter Day.’’ And they just applauded, and what have you.
Some children as noted by Journalist Roy S. Johnson (1956 - ) were not as compliant. His Easter speech simply did not go as planned: “I had practiced fifty thousand times with her [Aunt Bobbie] and my mom prior to the program on Sunday and then I got on the stage on Sunday and stood there in front of the microphone and said, ‘I don’t know my speech.’ And my mother just was incredulous, she was-and Aunt Bobbie, who was the moderator, said, ‘Yes, you do.
The minister’s sermons were also often memorable as noted by civil rights lawyer Howard Moore, Jr. (1932 - ) when recalling on of the sermons of Reverend Williams Holmes Borders, Sr. of Atlanta’s Wheat Street Baptist Church: “Easter sermons on Easter Sunday morning- his sermon was something else. I mean, he would have Jesus in the crypt, and he would roll back the rock. He would get down and he’d be blowing into the mic, and then as the rock rolls back and Jesus ascends-is resurrected, then the snare drums come up, and then the trumpet come in, and the guitar and then the choir come in. I mean, you get-that’s a good feeling, you know. It’s a good presentation, a good dramatization, you know.
A tradition that is not lost in the African American Church today is the “Easter Fashion Parade.” In comparison, not as many people go out to buy that Easter outfit as in the past.
African American families regularly gather for Easter dinner after church service.
Easter Sunday Service
Traditions and Celebrations
Black families like to have a good time, and when they celebrate Easter, it’s not just a church service and a meal. They also throw in a variety show, with a little bit of singing, performing, speaking, plays, and sometimes dancing during the Easter celebration. Many churches and community centers host Easter programs, which serve as an opportunity to let loose and celebrate with a whole lot of soul.
Aside from the singing and dancing, it’s a time to remember those who may be struggling.
When the White House began hosting its annual Easter egg roll in 1878, Black people were not allowed to attend. Beginning in 1891, many African American families began to gather at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo the Monday after Easter. Easter Monday at the National Zoo quickly became a staple for African American families. In 1919, attendance reached nearly 55,000 people.
“I have fond personal memories of Easter Monday at the National Zoo. My mother, a domestic servant and single mother of two boys, looked forward to the event every year for the opportunity to catch up with her friends from the church after a long weekend of work,” said George H. Lambert Jr. “The fun started on the chartered bus to the zoo and continued into the evening. It was a wonderful day of good food, socializing, and the much-anticipated highlight of the day, the egg hunt. My brother and I may have grumbled about having to wear our good clothes and uncomfortable shoes, but with each year, the tradition acquired greater significance.
As a child growing up in Lingo Temple, Church of God In-Christ (COGIC), I gave my first speech in front of a crowd during the Easter Sunday Service. (Young People’s Willing Workers).
Easter Celebration
Easter Feasts and Culinary Traditions
What is a celebration without food? Easter dinner remains a cherished tradition in many Black households. After church comes a relaxed gathering where family members bring food, though there is no pressure to do so. Since it is the end of Lent, many Black families traditionally celebrate with a feast. In Africa, it may include traditional dishes and local favorites. In a place like Nigeria, families enjoy sumptuous jollof rice and spicy stews with meat, chicken, and fish.
Of course, we cannot forget the food… or the candy and sweets. Publisher of the Omaha Star, Marguerita Le Etta Washington (1948 - ), laughed and recalled the Easter basket her father brought her:“… [it] had a lot of chocolate in it, candy and other stuff like that and I tried to eat the whole thing and I was so sick . I remember that like it was yesterday.
Easter Activities for Children
Easter wouldn’t be complete without something for the kids to remember. It’s common to see children running wild in the backyard or a local park, baskets in hand, as they go on Easter egg hunts while families enjoy outdoor activities. To make the celebration extra special and memorable for the kids, some families go all out with egg-painting sessions, Easter crafts, and other fun games.
Easter Egg Hunt
Passing Down Stories and Traditions
Amidst the food and festivities, there’s always time for stories. Beyond the general Christian narrative of Easter, elders recount tales of past Easter and lessons learned along the way, preserving family history and traditions. Easter in Black families is a reminder that no matter where we are, we carry with us a legacy of resilience, celebration, and an unshakeable belief in new beginnings.
Easter Celebrations Around the World
Semana Santa
Semana Santa, or Holy Week (in Spanish), is the last week of Lent from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, and is primarily celebrated by the Catholic and Anglican communities in the Americas, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. It is observed in various ways throughout the regions, with each country having unique traditions and customs. In many Latin American cities there are slow, religious processions with grand platforms that bear statues of Jesus and Mary. Often the entire community takes part by carrying statues, or making arts and crafts that line the colourful streets. It is a time for the community to gather together in prayer and gratitude.
Easter Traditions in the Caribbean
In Trinidad and Tobago, many people observe Good Friday as a solemn day of reflection and penitence. Some attend church services, while others fast or refrain from certain activities. They also have a unique Easter tradition involves creating and destroying "Bobolees," which are scarecrow-like figures made from old clothing and stuffed with materials such as straw or paper. These puppet-like dolls represent Judas, the biblical figure who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
During the week leading up to Easter, Bobolees can be found throughout the country. On Good Friday, the effigies are beaten with sticks and destroyed, symbolizing the punishment of Judas for his betrayal.
Another tradition is kite flying, where families gather in open fields to fly brightly coloured kites.
In Jamaica on the other hand, the week leading up to Easter Sunday is marked by church services. On Good Friday, many Jamaicans attend church in the morning and spend the rest of the day with family and friends, enjoying traditional Easter foods like bun and cheese, fried fish, and hot cross buns.
Caribbean Easter Foods
Caribbean cuisine is diverse, and different countries and cultures have unique Easter dishes. However, some popular Easter foods across the Caribbean include fish dishes like escovitch fish, steamed fish, and fish cakes, as well as meat dishes like baked ham, roast pork, and curried goat. Many also enjoy traditional side dishes such as rice and peas, macaroni pie, and potato salad. Sweet treats like hot cross buns, coconut drops, and bun and cheese are also popular during Easter.
Bun and Cheese
Bun and cheese is a traditional Jamaican Easter dish rooted in the island's colonial past. The British custom of eating hot cross buns during Easter was brought to Jamaica, but over time, Jamaicans developed their own unique version of the dish. The Jamaican bun is a dense, spiced cake made with molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg, while the cheese is a sharp, cheddar-like variety. It's believed that the combination of sweet and savoury flavours in the bun and cheese represents the balance of life's joys and sorrows, which is particularly poignant during the religious observation of Easter.
Easter Celebrations in Africa
Easter celebrations in Africa vary depending on the region and religious beliefs. Many African Christians celebrate Easter with church services, feasts, family gatherings and going to the beach. In some countries, people decorate their homes with colourful decorations and exchange gifts and traditional foods, such as roasted meat, vegetables, and rice.
In Ethiopia, for example, the Orthodox Church celebrates Easter with a three-day religious festival called Fasika, which includes fasting, church services, and traditional meals.
Several African communities also incorporate traditional dance and music into their Easter celebrations, such as the Muo Dance by Igbo People in Nigeria and the Mkhukhu Traditional Dance in South Africa.
South African Easter Traditions
South Africans celebrate Easter in both religious and secular ways. For Christians, Easter is a time of great importance, and many attend church services throughout the Holy Week, culminating in Easter Sunday mass. Some churches also hold processions and re-enactments of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
On the secular side, many South Africans take advantage of the four-day weekend to travel and spend time with family and friends. It's common to see Easter egg hunts for children and families enjoying outdoor activities like picnics and braais (barbecues).
South African Easter Braai
Joy, Love, and Resilience
Easter is a significant holiday for many Black folks across the globe as it is for many other cultures. Traditions, old and new, bring families and communities together. While these celebrations may differ from region to region, they all share a common thread of joy, love, and resilience. Learning from the lessons of those that fought for freedom and humanity before us, and continuing to thrive in unity in a world that divides far too often.
Today, in a world where our lives are consumed by technology, constant busyness, and countless distractions clamor for our attention, Easter provides an opportunity for quiet reflection. As the tables fill with delicious food and families gather together, let’s seize the opportunity to make lasting memories filled with warmth, laughter, and love.
