 Description: The Central Jurisdiction of the Methodist Episcopal Church was created in 1844 as the church was divided over the issue of slavery, and most Black Methodist moved to a separated and segregated part of the church. James Thomas was a bishop in the Central Jurisdiction, was part of the movement to re-integrate the church, and became the first Black bishop in Iowa as the Central Jurisdiction was dissolved in 1967. Thomas talks about the history, the new reality, and the vestiges of racism in the church that must still be addressed. He spoke with Jan Snider, a producer at United Methodist Communications, as she prepared an in-depth look at the issues.
Thomas, who died in 2010, had written a book called, "Methodism's Racial Dilemma: The Story of the Central Jurisdiction."
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