The REAL Reason Why African American Church Ushers Wear White Gloves As Part Of Their Church Uniform

 

@no_one,arthouse, 2023

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post debunks the commonly held (at least among many African American) reasons why African American church ushers wear white gloves while they are ushering during church services.

This post showcases three YouTube videos of ushers in African American churches and includes information & comments from various online sources. 

Addendum #1 to this pancocojams post also includes a complete reprint of a 2010 essay about African American church ushers.   

Addendum #2 to this pancocojams post presents information and an explanation about the African American custom of ushers holding their left hand behind their back while they are ushering.

The content of this post is presented for historical and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all past and present ushers in African American churches. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these embedded YouTube videos.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2021/01/why-black-african-american-ushers-wear.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "Why Black (African American) Ushers Wear White Gloves As Part Of Their Usher Attire & Hold One Hand Behind Their Back". This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on African American church ushers.
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Click the tags below for additional pancocojams posts on this subject. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Usher Training

Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmOS4JTnoeQ for a March 22, 2018 YouTube video published by thefisherkings. Embedding this video outside of YouTube is prohibited.

This video is about usher training at Nazarene Baptist Church (an African American church).
The topics that are covered in this video are:

"Uniforms

Huddling for prayer

Assisting worshipers

Standing at attention

Guarding the doors

Prayer Position

Retreating from the floor

and

Taking offering"
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Here's the portion of this video about "uniforms" from the auto-generated transcript of this video with my additions of punctuation, corrected capitalizations, and corrected words.

from 2:16 to 3:26 in this video:
"It's important for us to be in uniform. As you can see from the uniforms displayed that it

sure needs to be impeccably groomed and that the outfit be conducive to proper etiquette.
We have here one of our female ushers. If you will notice, her skirt does go below the knee.
Our male usher, standing tall, [is a] very proud doorkeeper and he too is impeccably dressed.
Most churches have their own color scheme but [the] universal usher is one who will be in black with
a white top.  The male wearing a white shirt. If, however, you are ushering at a state level or a national level, the uniform for the female is a white uniform, preferably a nurse's dress. She is dressed in white from head to toe. She will have her badge, her pin, white, stockings and, white shoes."
-snip-
The narrator doesn't mention the usher's white gloves, although those gloves are shown on the table with the badge, pin, stockings, and shoes. The ushers in the video are also shown wearing their white gloves. 

Some scenes in this video shows the ushers holding their left hand behind their back. In addition, this video also refers to and shows ushers making hand signals to communicate pertinent information with other ushers.   

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3- Ushers march at Bishop Broderick Huggins Anniversary
Celebration

mslola2u, Nov 11, 2008

Saint Paul Baptist Church, Oxnard, Ca ushers,Emmanuel Baptist Church, Stockton,Ca ushers and Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church, Fresno, Ca ushers march at St. Paul Baptist Church
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Notice how African American usher marches are influenced by (or influenced) African military style American drill team performances.
  
Most African American church ushers participate in annual military/drill team style usher marches during their (and other churches) annual celebratory Ushers Day programs. Usher marches also occur at annual state, regional, and/or national African American church ushers conventions. 

These Black church ushers conventions are sometimes held in combination with members of Black church nurses ministries.

Click the Black Church Procession tag below for pancocojams post on this African American church custom.

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THE COMMONLY HELD REASON THAT IS FOUND ONLINE FOR THE REASON WHY AFRICAN AMERICAN USHERS WEAR WHITE GLOVES

White racism is the commonly held reason that African Americans give for why African American church ushers wear white gloves while they are ushering in church. I believe that this conclusion is mostly held by African Americans.

The YouTube video short that is showcased in this pancocojams post is one example of this (what I consider to be erroneous) belief. Here are two other examples (given in no particular order and numbered for referencing purpose only) :

Excerpt #1:
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2020/jun/21/chattanoogpastors-grapple-history-church-raci/ "Chattanooga pastors grapple with history of church racism"  

June 21, 2020 by Wyatt Massey

 …."Many ushers continue to wear white gloves, a holdover from the era when white church members did not want the "sin" of Black people touching anything in the church, Ladd said. Black ushers were also required to hold one hand behind their back when taking up the offering because white Christians believed Blacks would otherwise steal money from the church, he said."

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Excerpt #2. 
From https://theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com/2018/02/black-history-facts-why-ushers-wore.html
Why Ushers Wore White Gloves by Ann Brock, February 4, 2018 
"I'm from the hills of Alabama and some information like this is hard to verify because it is information that was passed on from generation to generation. Anyhow growing up we were told that this was an old slave tradition in the deep south. Slaves were asked to put their arms behind their backs so they could be watched to be sure they were not stealing the money during collection time.

They also wore the white gloves because again they were not trusted and the white church members did not want to touch their skin. My understanding is back during slavery time when the slave served in white churches they had to wear white gloves and place the one hand behind the back.....so the slaves wouldn't take from the offering plate as they served aisles to aisles why ushering."

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I believe the idea that African American Church ushers wear white gloves (and held their left hand behind their back)* because White people demanded that they do so while they (Black people) were ushers in their White churches begs a number of questions:
1. Is there extensive documentation of enslaved Black people serving as ushers in White American churches? If so, where is that documented?

2.Is there documentation of Black ushers in White churches during slavery wearing white gloves and holding their left hand behind their back? If so, where is that documentation?

3. Is there documentation of White church ushers wearing white gloves and holding their left hand behind their back? And if so, when did this occur and where is that documentation?

4. Why did the custom of Black American ushers wearing white gloves and holding their left hand behind their back occur once Black Americans worshiped in their own churches and why has it persisted so widely throughout the United States up to an including this year?

I'm not discounting that White people during slavery may have had Black men serve as ushers during slavery. And I don't discount that many of those White people were racist. . However, I believe that there were historical and cultural reasons for establishing the custom of ushers wearing white gloves and ushers holding their left hand behind their back. Furthermore, I believe that those same historical and cultural reasons (as well as other reasons) explain why these customs are still very widely followed in today's African American churches apparently far more than they are in White American churches).

When I did a google search with the question "Do White ushers wear white gloves?", I got this result:

https://www.google.com/search?q=do+white+church+ushers+wear+white+gloves&oq=do

"AI Overview

Yes, many white church ushers wear white gloves:

Practicality

White gloves protect hands from dirt and germs, especially during communal rituals like passing the peace or handling sacred objects.

Uniformity

White gloves create a sense of uniformity among attendees, fostering a respectful atmosphere.

Symbolism

White gloves symbolize purity, reverence, and respect.

Protection

White gloves protect the finish and shine of communion ware and offering plates."

White gloves have been worn for centuries as a symbol of purity and nobility. In the hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, and the medical industry, white gloves are a symbol of cleanliness and quality hygiene."

 -snip-

There are no YouTube results for "White church ushers wearing white gloves". 

Most of the YouTube results for Black ushers wearing white gloves" are videos of Black (African American) usher marches. These church usher marches document how African American's love of rhythmic, synchronized movements and pageantry created and continues to create new performance arts styles. 

* Read Addendum #2 in this pancocojams post for some comments about the custom of African American church ushers holding their left hand behind their back while they are ushering.

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THE REAL REASON WHY AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH USHERS (AND SOME WHITE CHURCH USHERS) WEAR WHITE GLOVES   

I believe that African American church ushers wear white gloves while they are ushering because white gloves are an essential part of the usher uniform, just like it is an essential part of the uniforms of various people in religious and in non-religious settings.

Wearing a uniform (including white gloves) identifies church ushers as members of this important Black church ministry, a ministry that has significant responsibilities and a ministry that confers status and power to people (men, women, teens, and children) who may not have other accesses to status and power outside of their church lives.

Furthermore, at certain times (during annual Usher Days and annual Usher conventions), Black church ushers engage in military/drill team style Usher marches to live of recorded instrumental music that adds to Black church aesthetics and expresses African American love of and appreciation for pageantry.   

The African American (and- to a much lesser extent?- the White American) custom of wearing white gloves is patterned after earlier and later historical and cultural traditions of people in authority and other people wearing white gloves.

Here's a partial list of people who have worn (and/or still wear) white gloves as part of their uniforms:

-Bishops and some other Catholic church leaders

-members of the United States military (formal attire)

-police offices (during formal wear at events such as funerals)

-butlers

-drum majors and other members of marching bands 

- members of masonic orders (formal attire)

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SELECTED EXCERPTS OR COMMENTS ABOUT WHITE GLOVES BEING A PART OF VARIOUS UNIFORMS

These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

SOURCE #1- GENERAL HISTORICAL OVERVIEW INCLUDING CLERGY, KINGS, MILITARY, AND BUTLERS
From
https://issuu.com/kempinskihotelssa/docs/travelling_in_style_magazine_issue_50/s/11590832 White Gloves: A Heritage of Nobility from Kempinski Travelling in Style magazine, issue 50
by Kempinski Hotels

"The roles and uses of white gloves, whether symbolic or practical, have changed over time. Today, white gloves are a mark of the outstanding service exemplified by luxury hotels and restaurants.

 For centuries, pulling on or taking off gloves was a symbolic act in European social relations. In the Middle Ages, to take off one's gloves before another person was a sign of submission. It meant swearing allegiance to them: ‘disarming’ before them like a knight laying down his arms.

Equally symbolic was the wearing of white gloves for important ceremonies, as a mark of purity – a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. A chronicle tells that in 960, at the enthronement ceremony for the new Bishop of Mayence, the monks of the SaintAlban monastery gave him a pair of white gloves. The congregation then said a prayer beseeching God to protect the purity of His servant's hands.

The kings of France also received a pair of white gloves at their coronation because the sacred hands of the king must not be sullied by touching impure objects. After the ceremony, the gloves were burnt to prevent anyone using them later.

From the 15th century, gloves lost their sacred nature and became fashion accessories and adornments. In the 19th century, more than ever, they became a sign of elegance. The rules of etiquette demanded that gloves be worn in public, but propriety dictated they should always be put on before leaving the house. Yellow gloves were worn for hunting; white gloves for a social gathering or a stylish restaurant. When they went out, men wore black clothing but with white gloves.

As Europe became ever wealthier, more and more homes had butlers or major-domos, who had to dress elegantly. With black suit, black tie, white gloves and white waistcoat, they wore much the same clothes as the master of the house and his prestigious guests. It was a way to give distinction to these particular servants, indicating their special status - almost equal to the social class they served. But the word ‘almost’ is crucial.

Butlers had authority over the other servants and often had some education. They were servants but not servile. Attentive but not submissive; confident but not intimate.

The figure of the butler became firmly established as standing alone between the two social classes. And this was symbolised by his white gloves. Previously the preserve of the elite, the historic accessory switched camp. While the master of the house took off his gloves when he got home, the butler did the reverse. Once a symbol of power, white gloves had become a sign of respect for power."
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Butlers also follow (or used to follow) the custom of holding their white gloved left hand behind their back.

Prior to the 1980s or so some African American church choirs marched into the church sanctuary holding their right hand up and holding their left hand behind their back. Read the comments in Addendum #2 of this post.  

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SOURCE #2 - CATHOLIC BISHOPS
From https://www.google.com/search?q=why+catholic+bishops+wear+white+glove "Why do Catholic Bishops wear white gloves  [Azizi Powell asked Google on September 15, 2024]

"AI [Artificial Intelligence]

Catholic bishops wear white gloves for a variety of reasons, including:

Symbolism

White gloves symbolize purity, good works, and carefulness. They also represent the bishop's connection to Christ and the apostles, and their higher level of spiritual perfection.

Rank

Bishops' gloves visually distinguish them from other clergy, and are a material demonstration of their higher rank.

Ritual

Bishops wear gloves during mass to emphasize the cleanliness of their hands and the ritual purity of the chalice and paten.

History

Bishops have worn gloves for over a thousand years, and they are an integral part of the solemnity of pontifical rites.

Investiture

During a bishop's investiture ceremony, he is helped into his gloves by others, with a prayer that they represent his purity and healing gift."

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SOURCE #3 - MILITARY
From https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origin-of-white-gloves-in-military-dress-uniforms-Was-there-a-practical-reason-or-was-it-a-fashion-statement  What is the origin of white gloves in military dress uniforms? Was there a practical reason or was it a fashion statement?

Assistant Bot, Jul 12, 2024
"The origin of white gloves in military dress uniforms can be traced back to several practical and symbolic reasons:

Practicality: Wearing white gloves helped keep the wearer's hands clean and pristine, which was important for formal military inspections and parades. The light color made dirt and grime more visible, allowing officers to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and appearance.

Symbolism: White gloves came to represent purity, discipline, and attention to detail - qualities that were highly valued in the military. The immaculate white gloves signaled the wearer's professionalism, care, and commitment to their duties.

Status and Tradition: Over time, the white gloves became a mark of rank and distinction."

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SOURCE #5 - POLICE
https://www.google.com/search?q=DID+police+used+to+wear+white+gloves+as+part+of+their+uniform "Did Police Use To Wear White Gloves As Part Of their Uniforms [Azizi Powell asked Google on September 15, 2024]

"AI [Artificial Intelligence]
Yes, police officers historically wore white gloves as part of their formal dress uniforms, particularly for ceremonial occasions like funerals or special events, as white gloves symbolized cleanliness and formality, similar to how they are still used in military uniforms today; however, in modern policing, wearing white gloves as part of everyday uniform is no longer common practice.

Key points about white gloves in police uniforms:

Formal wear only:

White gloves were primarily worn with a full dress uniform, which is only used for special events like ceremonies or funerals.

Symbolism of cleanliness:

White gloves traditionally represented a high standard of appearance and hygiene.

Modern practice:

Today, most police officers wear practical, dark-colored gloves for situations requiring hand protection, not white gloves for everyday duty.

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SOURCE #6 - MARCHING BAND MEMBERS
https://www.concertattire.com/blogs/blog/why-accessorizing-marching-band-uniforms-is-important "Exploring Essential Marching Band Accessories: The Significance of Uniform Add-ons"
..."White Gloves

We prefer white gloves as they add a touch of elegance and uniformity to marching band uniforms.

White gloves have been a staple accessory in the marching band world for years, and for good reason. They not only provide a clean and polished look, but they also enhance the overall visual presentation of the band.

When accessorizing marching band uniforms, white gloves are essential to add a sophisticated and cohesive touch to the ensemble"...

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SOURCE #7- FREEMASONS
From https://theeducator.ca/symbolism-of-white-gloves-aprons/ "SYMBOLISM OF THE WHITE GLOVES AND APRONS" By V.W.Bro. L. Tustain; 24th June, 1948.

... "There is in the wearing of Craft Clothing, as in everything else pertaining to Freemasonry, a symbolism. Briefly, white gloves are symbolical of clean hands, and are complementary to the lambskin apron, the symbol of a pure heart. These two are of equal importance and are really inseparable.

White Gloves

The custom of wearing white gloves is of great antiquity. In the Christian Churches from the earliest times, white linen gloves were always worn by Bishops and Priests when in performance of their ecclesiastical functions. The Bishops always wore a thin plate of gold, called “a tassel” on the back of their gloves to denote their high ecclesiastical rank. The gloves worn by the clergy indicated that their hands were clean and not open to bribery.

In an indenture of covenants made in the reign of Henry VI between the church-wardens of a parish in Suffolk and a company of Freemasons, the latter stipulate that each man should be provided with a pair of white gloves and a white apron.

[...]

Dr. Robert Plot, a non-mason, states in his “Natural History of Staffordshire”, 1686, that “the Society of Freemasons presented their candidates with white gloves for themselves and their wives.”

In the general regulations of George Payne approved by the Grand Lodge in London in 1721, Article 7 reads: …“Every new brother at his making is decently to cloathe the Lodge, that is, all the brethren present,    ” By ‘clothing the Lodge’ is meant furnishing all the brethren present with white aprons and gloves.”

In Count Tolstoy’s well-known novel “War and Peace” it states that, “the newly-obligated brother was then invested with a white apron, and received a trowel and three pairs of white gloves, two pairs for himself and one pair for the lady he most esteemed, after which the Master explained their symbolic meaning to him.”

In the Netherlands ritual the presentation of white gloves is still retained. The candidate for initiation is taken upon three journeys; after the second journey his hands are dipped in a basin of water, and a reference made to the necessity of “clean hands” and purity of heart and life as an essential prerequisite to Initiation. On the completion of the third journey he takes the Ob., after which he is led to the West, where he is invested with a white apron, and is given a pair of white gloves, which he is directed to hand to her whom he considers most worthy to receive them from the hands of a Freemason.

I do not know when the presentation of white gloves ceased to be the general custom, but the wearing of them as part of the proper clothing of a brother is still retained in New Zealand by ruling of the Board of General Purposes.

Today, the Supreme Court Judge is presented with a pair of white gloves if there is a maiden session. This indicates “clean actions” or freedom from crime in that particular city. This is a very old custom, for anciently, judges were not allowed to wear gloves on the bench; so to give a judge a pair of gloves symbolized that he need not take his seat.

Undoubtedly, the use of white gloves in Freemasonry is a symbolic idea handed down to us through the ancient and universal language of symbolism, and, like the apron, is intended to denote purity of life and action.”…
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Quotes in italics were given that way in this article

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ADDENDUM #1 - GENERAL OVERVIEW - USHERS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES
From https://womenchurchsuitsblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/usher-suits-and-the-roles-ushers-play-in-the-church/  "Usher Suits And The Roles Ushers Play In The Church

By womenchurchsuitsblog. August 7, 2012

"Growing up in an African American church one of the first things you learn as a child is to respect the ushers. When you were doing anything that might not have been acceptable you had one eye for the usher suits. As kids would we liked to play pranks and giggle and chew gum and fall asleep all things that would get you a quick wrap on the knuckles with thee back end of the church fan. In black church’s in the United States have many auxiliaries, departments, committees and boards. These are the arms and legs of the church, they enable the church to carry out its mission. This includes attending to the needs of the people, spreading the gospel and church administration.

In black church’s in the United States have many auxiliaries, departments, committees and boards. These are the arms and legs of the church, they enable the church to carry out its mission. This includes attending to the needs of the people, spreading the gospel and church administration.

While you may not find the same auxiliary’s at all church’s there is not one church where you will not find an Usher board. This is a ministry of the church that even a new comer can become a part of. Next to the preacher and the musicians this is the most visible ministry in any church. In a black church the Usher is the first person a visitor will meet. They seat the congregation, help members in distress and maintain order. They are essentially the church police force. The usher suits are their uniform of office and most include pristine white gloves.

The usher suits has to be pristine at all times. It is a matter of church pride, at most churches the ushers have two separate suits one in white and one in black. They wore the white in summer and the black in winter. Other churches may use different colored usher suits but they all insist on the white gloves as part of the uniform. These are the churches gatekeepers, they meet and greet all who enter the sanctuary, ushers are the first impression a person gets of a church and most take this service very seriously.

Usher suits come in a variety of sizes and are also made to fit children. A church will have a male usher board, a women’s usher board and a junior usher board. Each group takes on the duties on their assigned Sundays. The junior ushers range in age from 6-18 and they too are trained to work as efficiently as the adults. It is a way for them to learn church and civic duty as well as leadership and discipline.”

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ADDENDUM #2 - WHY BLACK USHERS HOLD ONE HAND BEHIND THEIR BACK WHILE THEY SERVE AS USHERS
According to George T. Grier, first president of the Illinois chapter, who codified the Black ushers' hand symbols in 1948 in "The Universal Church Ushers Manual," a loose fist at the small of the back — the "service position" — means an usher is on duty. (quoted in https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-church-ushers-20150711-story.html  "Ushers History: Ushers serve as 'doorkeepers' to worship" by Jonathan M. Pitts, July 11, 2015

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Here's a comment exchange that refers to African American ushers with the left hand behind their back in the "service position":

From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuz-zRVGb0 [quoted in https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/old-school-black-church-choir-march-st.html  "Black Choir Processions - Videos Of Marching With The Right Hand Held Up"]

1. Joantaatlanta, 2009
"Nice Video, why do they march in with their hands up? What does it symbolize?"*

Reply 
2. DrSTW4 years, 2009
in reply to Joantaatlanta
"That's a old school thing. That means an elevated heart and hand to Christ. It's like at the end of service when you raise your hand for the benediction. The left hand behind you is what the ushers tend to do called service position."

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I also recall reading online that the reason why African American church ushers hold one hand behind their back (or used to hold one hand behind their back) while they are on duty is because this was an outward sign of submission to God. (Unfortunately, I didn't document where I read this.)

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