Baker, George

Baker, George (known as Father Divine) (?1877–1965) evangelist; born near Savannah, Ga. He began preaching to poor blacks in the rural South, migrated northward, and eventually established himself in New York City, where he launched the Peace Mission movement in 1919. Calling himself Father Divine, he established a large following among African-Americans in New York and Philadelphia. He preached communal living and racial equality, and prohibited tobacco, liquor, and cosmetics. Although more than 170 Peace Mission settlements were established, the movement did not long survive the death of its founder.