Author, intellect and activist, W. E. B. DuBois, said “Although the Episcopal Church was the first American Church to receive Negro members, the growth of that membership has been small. This was the one great church that did not split on the slavery question, and the result is that its Negro membership before and since the war [Civil War] has been a delicate subject, and the church has probably done less for black people than any other aggregation of Christians.” Several of DuBois’ family members had belonged to the Episcopal Church, but DuBois himself did not share their fondness for the denomination.