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Adelle M. Banks

Adelle M. Banks is production editor and a national correspondent at RNS. She joined the staff in 1995 after working for more than 10 years at daily newspapers in the upstate New York communities of Binghamton and Syracuse, The Providence Journal and the Orlando Sentinel.

The National Christmas Tree turns 100 this year. Here are five faith facts to know.

National christmas tree

A church choir sang, Marine band members played and the president of the United States pressed a button to light the first National Christmas Tree under the gaze of thousands of onlookers. For 100 years, the tree has represented a symbol of civil religion as Americans mark the Christmas season. Yesterday (Nov. 30), President Joe Biden did the honors just as President Calvin Coolidge did at that first lighting, and contemporary gospel singer Yolanda Adams sang for the crowds gathered on the Ellipse in the shadow of the White House.

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Black museum religion exhibit features Little Richard’s Bible, Rev. Ike’s suit

Black museum religion exhibit

“Spirit in the Dark,” which opened Nov. 18, is the first special exhibition to focus specifically on religion since the museum opened in 2016. Photos and artifacts are accompanied by quotes of famous African American singers, clergy and writers from the pages of Ebony, Jet and Negro Digest (later known as Black World), all publications of the Johnson Publishing Company that, from its founding in 1942, sought to capture African American culture.

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