"the first continuing black church was the silver bluff church in aiken county, south carolina, where an african-american preacher, david george (1742-1810), established a congregation around 1773 or 1774. george’s pilgrimage marked him as one of the most remarkable religious figures of his century. after serving as a slave, he was converted through the influence of an-other slave named cyrus. soon george began to exhort his fellow bondsmen, an activity that led to his becoming, in effect, the pastor of the silver bluff church. ... american patriots were trying to throw off the "slavery" of parliament, but for those in chattel bondage like david george, the british were the agents who combated racial, chattel slavery."