November invites us to reflect on the profound contributions of Black Catholics to the life of the Church. This month is rich with feasts and historical milestones that remind us of the universality of our faith and the diversity of its saints and witnesses.
- All Saints Day (Nov. 1) honors countless saints of African descent throughout Church history.
- All Souls Day (Nov. 2) calls us to remember Africans lost during the Middle Passage and remember our ancestors who have passed before us.
- St. Martin de Porres (Nov. 3), a humble Dominican friar, loved God’s people without regard for race or class.
- St. Augustine of Hippo (born Nov. 13), theologian and Doctor of the Church, shaped Christian thought for centuries.
The National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (NBCCC) designated November as Black Catholic History Month in 1990.
Biblical roots and early witnesses
The story of black Catholics begins in Scripture. In Acts 8:26–40, the Ethiopian eunuch — wealthy, learned, and devout — became the first African to embrace the Christian faith. As Fr. Cyprian Davis notes in The History of Black Catholics in the United States (Herder & Herder, 1990), this encounter shows the Gospel’s reach from the very beginning.
A legacy of faith and resilience
Black Catholic history in America stretches back to the 1560s with the founding of St. Augustine, Florida, and the free black town of Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose in 1693. From these roots grew remarkable witnesses:
Venerable Pierre Toussaint (1787–1853), a Haitian-born philanthropist and lay leader, buried at New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Venerable Mother Mary Lange (1784–1882), founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the first religious order for women of African descent.
Venerable Augustus Tolton (1854–1897), the first African American priest to serve openly in the United States, known for his holiness and pastoral zeal.
These three, along with Henriette Delille, Julia Greeley, Martin de Porres Ward, and Sr. Thea Bowman, form the “Saintly Seven” — African Americans on the path to canonization.
Milestones in Black Catholic leadership and evangelization
1889 – The First National Black Catholic Congress
In Washington, D.C., 200 African American Catholic men gathered for the first National Black Catholic Congress. This historic meeting affirmed their rightful place in the Church and highlighted the vital role of the laity in evangelization. The Congress also emphasized the importance of women’s contributions to spreading the Gospel.
Among its leaders was Daniel Rudd, a devout Catholic and pioneering journalist, who famously wrote: “There is an awakening among some people to the fact that the Catholic Church is not only a warm and true friend to the colored people but is absolutely impartial in recognizing them as the equals of all and any of the other nations and races of men before her altars.” (Davis, p. 165)
1909 – The Knights of Peter Claver
Founded in Mobile, Ala., by four priests of the St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heart and three laymen, the Knights of Peter Claver provided African American men a Catholic fraternal organization at a time when others excluded them. Named for St. Peter Claver, the Jesuit missionary who ministered to enslaved Africans in Cartagena, Colombia, the Knights dedicated themselves to serving God, aiding the sick and disabled, and fostering social and intellectual growth. The organization includes the Ladies Auxiliary (from 1926), the Junior Knights (from 1917), and the Junior Daughters (from 1930).
1968 – Founding of the NBCCC
During the Catholic Clergy Conference on the Interracial Apostolate, 150 black clergy convened separately to address racial injustice and the treatment of black Catholics by some in the Church. This meeting marked the beginning of the NBCCC, inspiring numerous black Catholic organizations and publications.
1984 – “What We Have Seen and Heard”
On Sept. 9, 1984, ten U.S. black bishops issued a landmark pastoral letter on evangelization. They declared that the black Catholic community was no longer a mission field but a mature Church capable of evangelizing itself and others: “Evangelization means not only preaching, but witnessing; not only conversion, but renewal; not only entry into a community, but the building up of the community.”
A historic first: Cardinal Wilton Gregory
Among these bishops, Wilton Gregory rose to become archbishop of Atlanta, then Washington, D.C. In November 2020, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals — the first African American to receive this honor. He continues to serve as a powerful witness to faith and leadership in the Church.
Why this month matters
As a community of believers, we are called to honor this heritage and continue the mission of unity and evangelization. November is not only a time to remember the contributions of black Catholics — it is a time to recommit ourselves to building a Church that reflects the beauty of every culture and race.
Vickie Figueroa is associate director for cultural ministries and coordinator of Black Catholic ministry for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
