I’m not much of a comics-book reader, but I’ll flip through them if the cover grabs me. I found one comic book among a lot of Supergirl, Rom and Mask recently that did.
In the center of the cover was the head of a handsome black man with a full afro and beard, and a nice smile. The comic book screamed ‘70s, and it had the title “Tom Skinner: Up from Harlem.” Surrounding Skinner’s face was an array of cutthroats, hookers, gangsters and just about any other urban stereotype you could name. (Click on the photo above to see the full view of the comic book.)
I flipped open the cover and started reading: Skinner was trying to persuade a prostitute in a red dress, white fake fur and fishnet stockings to give her love to God. She obviously got sassy with him and resisted.
I found out later that this was more than a comic-book story, but a simplified version of the life of a well-known evangelist named Tom Skinner. The comic book was produced in 1975 by Spire Christian Comics, owned by Fleming H. Revell Co. of New Jersey. The first of the line of books – which were based on true stories, and Christian movies and novels, according to Wikipedia – came out in 1972. Most of them were written and drawn by comic-book artist Al Hartley, who was working for Archie Comics (Archie apparently showed up in some of the Spire books). The comics were discontinued in the 1980s.
Hartley’s signature is on the front of the Harlem book, but he apparently got some help from comic book artist Dick Ayers for this one.
Up from Harlem fits right in with the blaxploitation movies of that time, with the same types of characters, dialogue and feel (“That’s my bag!” “Man, I can’t groove off God.” “Right on.” ). This one is different, though, because the message is “God is Love.” It’s a bit preachy and saccharine but it makes its point.
By the end, everyone is ready to be converted. The last page listed all the services and programs offered by Skinner’s company, Tom Skinner Associates, which is now known as the Skinner Leadership Institute. Skinner’s papers, records, audio tapes and documents are in the archives of the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, Ill.
Although the comic book mimicked Skinner’s life, his real life was a lot more fascinating. He grew up in Harlem with his minister father and mother, according to a 1996 article on the website Christianity Today. As a teenager, he lived a double life as a high-achieving student during the day and a vicious leader of the Harlem Lords street gang at night.
One night before a big gang blowout, he had settled down at home to listen to his favorite DJ when a special Christian program came on his radio (he also tells this story in the comic book). He was so moved by what he heard that he was instantly converted: The angry 17-year-old then walked away from his old gang life. He began preaching on the streets of Harlem. He formed coalitions with church and community leaders to proselytize to youths, according to the magazine article.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Skinner became a leader among black evangelicals in the United States with his radical thoughts and opinions, and his bravery for openly espousing them without fear. The titles of some of his speeches, he said, were meant to engage young people: “The White Man Did It” and “A White Man’s Religion,” according to the magazine article. (Photo of Skinner below is from the Graham Center archives.)
Read some of what he said in a speech at an Urbana ’70 conference in Illinois on miscegenation, U.S. nationalism and white evangelicals who ignored the suffering of blacks. You can read or listen to the entire speech, considered one of his most compelling, on the Graham Center site.
Here’s what he said about nationalism:
“I have to renounce any attempt to wed Jesus Christ off to the American system. I disassociate myself from any argument that says a vote for America is a vote for God. I disassociate myself from any argument that says God is on our side. I disassociate myself from any argument, which says that God sends troops to Asia, that God is a capitalist, that God is a militarist, that God is the worker behind our system.
“The thing you must recognize is that Jesus Christ is no more a capitalist than he is a socialist or a communist. He is no more a Democrat than he is a Republican. He is no more the president of the New York Stock Exchange than he is the head of the Socialist Party. He is neither of that. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. And if you are going to respond to Jesus Christ, you must respond to him as Lord.”
He died of leukemia at age 52 in 1994. Uncovering people like Tom Skinner who make their marks in their own corners of the world is why I find auctions so rewarding.
