Sweet Daddy Grace

Sep 06 2023 8 ep. 33 mins 166
Sweet Daddy Grace Podcast artwork

Bishop Charles Manuel “Sweet Daddy” Grace was once one of the richest Black men in America. But not many people know about him today. Six decades after his death, his descendants grapple with his life and legacy.

  History  Society & Culture  Religion & Spirituality
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The Last Sermon

Sep 06 2023 43 mins  
Marcy receives a mysterious email, which answers some questions but raises more. And she finally speaks to someone who knew Daddy Grace personally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the Matter With Daddy?

Aug 23 2023 40 mins  
From the time Daddy Grace founded the United House of Prayer in 1919, his life was not without controversy: from his appearance, to how much money he made (and the taxes he paid – or didn’t pay), to suspicions of Communism, and worse. In fact, Daddy Grace seemed to be constantly battling the US government on various charges. But how much of this was real? And how much was just

The House That Daddy Built

Aug 16 2023 38 mins  
Daddy Grace’s relationship with money – how much he seemed to have, how his followers practically threw cash at him – bothered many people outside the church, including Marcy’s relatives. But what was all that money used for? Sure, Daddy Grace had fancy cars and custom made suits. But in a time when it was hard for many Black people to get a mortgage, the United House of Pr

Bonus – Shout Music: Conversation with Lovett Hines

Aug 09 2023 20 mins  
One of Daddy Grace’s lasting legacies is shout music: specifically, the horn-driven shout bands, whose presence – even today – is a constant at almost all United House of Prayer functions. In this week’s bonus episode, Marcy sits down with Lovett Hines, Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts (and former House of Prayer band member), to

I Came From the Land Beyond the Sea

Aug 02 2023 44 mins  
As a child, Marcy was never allowed to attend a United House of Prayer service — her family told her it was taboo. But the church — which Daddy Grace founded in 1919 — is still going strong. So what’s going on? Why did Daddy Grace want to start his own church in the first place? How did he manage to grow it so quickly? And what are the services actually like? Marcy travels

I Am a Colorless Bishop

Jul 26 2023 47 mins  
Both Daddy Grace’s family and Marcy’s family came to America from the same Cape Verdean island. And they landed in a place where many Cape Verdeans did – New Bedford, Massachusetts. But why did they immigrate? What pushed them toward America? And once then arrived, did they find the American Dream that they were looking for? And does that have anything to do with why Daddy Gr

Sweet Daddy Grace: The Gospel According to Daddy

Jul 19 2023 27 mins  
Since she was a little girl, Marcy DePina felt drawn to a man called Daddy Grace, a charismatic immigrant from Cabo Verde, West Africa, who – during the violent Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras – traveled around the United States preaching, healing, and building his megachurch. But who was Daddy Grace? For all his accomplishments, he seems to raise more questions than answers.

Introducing: Sweet Daddy Grace

Jul 11 2023 3 mins  
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.