RELIGIONS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE
This special issue, “Religions in African American Popular Culture,” will focus on the intersection of religions and African American popular culture and provide a snapshot of the current relationship of African American popular culture to religions. African American popular culture is defined here asthose aspects of culture largely created and produced by peoples of Africana descent in the United States of America that engender joy, pleasure, enjoyment, and amusement and that are expressed through artifacts (e.g., icons and personas) and practices (e.g., arts and rituals). The artifacts of African American popular culture are inclusive of but not limited to objects and material culture, heroes, celebrities, stars, and stereotypes.