Bridging the Digital Divide: Racial Justice and Collaborative Information Behavior in African American Religious Communities

This literature review critically examines the digital divide as experienced by African American religious communities, focusing on storefront churches and their distinctive information and communication practices. Anchored firmly in Julianne Chatman’s Information Poverty theory, the review situates digital inequities not merely as technological deficits but as complex social conditions shaped by systemic racial oppression, cultural trust networks, and economic marginalization. Storefront churches serve as vital cultural and social hubs yet face persistent barriers—including limited access to high-quality internet, digital literacy gaps, and psychological factors like library anxiety—that reinforce information poverty. Through the lens of Chatman’s framework, this review explores how collaborative information behavior within gospel communities of musical practice represents an adaptive response to these constraints, fostering resilience and innovation. Synthesizing interdisciplinary scholarship, the article highlights gaps and proposes intersectional, community-driven strategies to empower African American faith communities toward equitable digital inclusion.