The Legacy of Watch Night Services in the Black Community
Many of you who live or grew up in Black communities in the United States have probably heard of “Watch Night Services,” the gathering of the faithful in church on New Year’s Eve. The service usually begins anywhere from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and ends at midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some folks come to church first, before going out to celebrate.For others, church is the only New Year’s Eve event. Like many others, I always assumed that Watch Night was a fairly stan