The Board of Bishops of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church speaks today out of moral responsibility, not political partisanship.
We are compelled to speak clearly in response to the President of the United States using his Truth Social account to share a post that visually portrayed former President Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black President, and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. This imagery invokes one of the oldest racist tropes in American and Western history—equating Black people with animals in order to deny their humanity and dignity. There is no acceptable context for such portrayals, particularly when amplified from the highest office in the land.
As of today, the President has declined to issue a direct apology for this post. He has stated that he did not view the full video before it was shared and has suggested that responsibility lies with staff rather than with the office that published it. Such explanations do not diminish the harm caused. Leadership entails accountability for what is communicated in one’s name and from one’s platform.
As a church formed in the Methodist tradition, we are guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the theological witness of John Wesley, who stated plainly, “There is no holiness but social holiness.” Faith is not merely private devotion; it is love of neighbor expressed through justice, truth-telling, and respect for the God-given worth of every person. Imagery that reduces any people to something less than human stands in direct opposition to that conviction.
Jesus affirmed the sacred worth of every person and warned against the misuse of power. To circulate racist imagery—particularly imagery that portrays Black leaders as animals—is to contradict the Gospel and to misuse moral authority.
This post also reflects a broader and well-documented pattern of language and conduct that demean Black people, Black leadership, and Black communities. That pattern has included referring to majority-Black cities in dehumanizing terms; directing contemptuous remarks toward Black elected officials; describing Haiti and African nations with vulgar disdain; telling Black and brown members of Congress to “go back” to where they came from; and promoting false narratives intended to delegitimize President Obama’s rightful place in the presidency. These examples provide context, but the post itself stands as a serious moral offense on its own.
We acknowledge that there has been condemnation of this action from across the political spectrum. That response matters. Yet condemnation without accountability remains insufficient. When racist language and conduct are met with deflection rather than repentance, they become easier to excuse and more likely to recur.
Leadership carries obligations to model humility, responsibility, and respect for human dignity. When those obligations are set aside, the harm is compounded—not only by what is done, but by what is left uncorrected.
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church—long known as “The Freedom Church”—was born out of resistance to racial injustice and exclusion. Our founders organized not only to worship freely, but to bear faithful witness against oppression wherever it appeared. That identity requires us to reject euphemisms that soften truth or minimize harm. Racism must be named plainly if it is to be confronted honestly.
This moment calls for more than expressions of regret or procedural explanations. It calls for moral courage, accountability demonstrated through action, and a recommitment to the dignity of all people.
We urge people of faith and people of conscience to speak truth without fear and to refuse the normalization of racism in any form. As Methodists and as Christians, we affirm that justice, love, and holiness are inseparable. The moral health of our nation depends on it.
In Prophetic Witness and Justice,
Your chief Pastors,
The Board of Bishops of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Bishop Brian R. Thompson, President
Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Senior Bishop
Bishop W. Darin Moore
Bishop George D. Crenshaw
Bishop Hilliard K.D. Dogbe
Bishop Uduak U. Effiong
Bishop Eric L. Leake
Bishop Daran H. Mitchell
Bishop Anthony N. Witherspoon
Bishop Melanie Rogers Miller
Bishop Dwayne Anthony Walker
Bishop Bernardo Ngunza
Bishop Seth O. Lartey, Located
Bishop George W.C. Walker, Sr., Retired
Bishop Samuel Chuka Ekemam, Sr., Retired
Bishop Joseph Johnson, Retired
Bishop Marshall H. Strickland, Retired
Bishop Nathaniel Jarrett Jr., Retired
Bishop Warren M. Brown, Retired
Bishop Kenneth Monroe, Retired
Bishop Dennis V. Proctor, Retired
Bishop Michael A. Frencher, Sr., Retired
Courtesy of @theexclusiveminds
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