Albert J. Raboteau facts for kids

Albert Jordy "Al" Raboteau II (born September 4, 1943 – died September 18, 2021) was an important American scholar. He studied African and African-American religions. From 1982, he taught at Princeton University. There, he was the Henry W. Putnam Professor of Religion.

About Albert Raboteau's Life

Growing Up and Learning

Albert Raboteau was born into a Catholic family. This was in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. His father passed away before Albert was born.

His mother, who was a teacher, moved the family north. She wanted a better place for her children to grow up. They lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and later in California. His stepfather, Royal Woods, taught him Latin and Greek from a young age. He helped Albert focus on church and school.

Albert went to Catholic schools. When he was 11, he sang in an international choir festival. This was at the Vatican with other choir boys.

College and Advanced Studies

Albert Raboteau started college when he was 16. He earned his first degree at Loyola University in Los Angeles. This was in 1964. He then got a master's degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley.

Later, he went to Yale University for religious studies. He earned his PhD there in 1974. His main teachers were Sydney Ahlstrom and John W. Blassingame.

His PhD paper became a famous book called Slave Religion: The "Invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South. This book was published when many new studies on American slavery were coming out. It helped people understand the religious lives of enslaved people.

His Work at Princeton University

In 1982, Princeton University invited Raboteau to teach. He became a full professor there. His studies focused on American Catholic history and African-American religions. He also looked at how religion connects with immigration.

He led the Department of Religion from 1987 to 1992. He also served as the dean of the Graduate School for a year. Princeton University gave him the MLK Day Lifetime Service Award twice.

Albert Raboteau retired in 2013. But he still taught as a professor emeritus. He then spent time studying the idea of beauty in Christian history.

Later Years

Albert Raboteau passed away on September 18, 2021. He was 78 years old. He died in Princeton, New Jersey, after an illness.

Albert Raboteau's Family and Faith

Albert Raboteau was married three times. He had four children: Albert III, Charles, Martin, and Emily.

Later in his life, he became a member of the Eastern Orthodox faith. This happened during a challenging time in his life. When he converted, he took the name Panteleimon. This name means "all merciful." He also helped lead an Orthodox church mission in Rocky Hill, New Jersey.

Awards and Recognition

• He was the first person to receive the J.W.C. Pennington Award. This award came from the University of Heidelberg.
• In 2013, The Journal of Africana Religions created a special award. It is called the Albert J. Raboteau Book Prize. This prize is given each year to a book that shows the spirit of the journal.
• In 2015, he gave the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Books by Albert Raboteau

• Slave Religion: The Invisible Institution in the Antebellum South, 1978/updated edition 2002. ISBN: 0-19-502438-9.
• A Fire in the Bones: Reflections on African-American Religious History, 1995. ISBN: 0-8070-0932-6.
• African American Religion: Interpretive Essays in History and Culture, 1997. ISBN: 0-415-91458-2. (Co-edited with Timothy E. Fulop)
• Canaan Land: A Religious History of African Americans. 1999. ISBN: 0-19-514585-2.
• A Sorrowful Joy: A Spiritual Journey of an African-American Man in Late Twentieth-Century America, 2002. ISBN: 0-8091-4093-4.
• Immigration and Religion in America: Comparative and Historical Perspectives, 2008 ISBN: 9780814705049 (Co-edited with Richard Alba and Josh DeWind)
• American Prophets: Seven Religious Radicals and Their Struggle for Social and Political Justice, 2016 ISBN: 978-0691164304

See also

• George Alexander McGuire
• Raphael Morgan