▁back ▁to ▁either ▁Gh ana ▁or ▁R ural ▁England ▁Although , ▁this ▁tradition ▁largely ▁fell ▁out ▁of ▁favor ▁in ▁the ▁African - American ▁community ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁sla very , ▁it ▁has ▁experienced ▁a ▁slight ▁res urg ence ▁in ▁recent ▁years ▁as ▁some ▁cou ples ▁seek ▁to ▁re aff irm ▁their ▁African ▁her itage . ▁ ▁Fun eral ▁trad itions ▁tend ▁to ▁vary ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁factors , ▁including ▁religion ▁and ▁location , ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁common al ities . ▁Probably ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁death ▁and ▁dying ▁in ▁the ▁African - American ▁culture ▁is ▁the ▁gather ing ▁of ▁family ▁and ▁friends . ▁Either ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁days ▁before ▁death ▁or ▁shortly ▁after ▁death , ▁typically ▁any ▁friends ▁and ▁family ▁members ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁reached ▁are ▁not ified . ▁This ▁gather ing ▁helps ▁to ▁provide ▁spiritual ▁and ▁emot ional ▁support , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁assistance ▁in ▁making ▁dec isions ▁and ▁accomplish ing ▁every day ▁tasks . ▁ ▁The ▁spiritual ity ▁of ▁death ▁is ▁very ▁important ▁in ▁African - American ▁culture . ▁A ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁cler gy ▁or ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁religious ▁community , ▁or ▁both , ▁are ▁typically ▁present ▁with ▁the ▁family ▁through ▁the ▁entire ▁process . ▁Death ▁is ▁often ▁viewed ▁as ▁trans itory ▁rather ▁than ▁final . ▁Many ▁services ▁are ▁called ▁hom ego ings ▁or ▁home com ings , ▁instead ▁of ▁fun er als , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁belief ▁that ▁the ▁person ▁is ▁going ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁after life ; ▁" Return ing ▁to