Black Catholics
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A History of Black Catholics in the United States
The history of the black Catholic community is just as important for the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. More than we realize, the history of the black Catholic community is coextensive with the history of the American Catholic community. What is needed today are historical studies that no longer simply probe the ministry and apostolate to blacks but rather focus the spotlight on the black Catholic community itself to determine its role in the Catholic drama of the last two centuries.
Article by Cyrian Davis, OSB -
Reflections by Fr. Matthew Hawkins
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National Black Catholic Congress: July 2023
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U.S. Bishops Establish Office for Racial Justice and ReconciliationJanuary 25, 2026
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has created a new Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, signaling the Church's commitment to sustained pastoral action against racism.
Bishop Daniel Garcia of Austin serves as the subcommittee's first chair, with Shireina Grant as USCCB staff lead. The initiative represents a deliberate shift in approach: rather than simply condemning racism, the Church now aims to actively promote healing, justice, and reconciliation.
"The title moves from what the Church is against to what it is promoting," Bishop Garcia explained in announcing the new office. The subcommittee recognizes that racism remains a persistent sin requiring ongoing attention—not one-time statements but sustained pastoral focus.
Central to the subcommittee's work will be listening sessions where parishioners can share their experiences of racism. These conversations, though often painful, are viewed as essential for genuine healing. The USCCB will also develop educational resources for dioceses, schools, and parishes, integrating racial justice into curricula and parish life.
Bishop Garcia, who has witnessed racism in Catholic institutions since childhood, emphasized that many Catholics have never heard racism explicitly named as sin. The subcommittee aims to change this through education and pastoral courage.
The office will give particular attention to African-American, Native American, and Latino Catholic communities, working to amplify the Church's voice on racism and help society move toward the justice and dignity God calls us to embody.
For more information and to sign up for their newsletter: USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation
by Fr. Matthew Hawkins -
Black Catholics have made their mark in the history of American music
In the story of American music, many critics and casual listeners alike have become increasingly hip to the notion that Black musicians are, on the whole, the heart and soul of the narrative.
From gospel to jazz to blues to R&B, rap, rock 'n' roll and pop, African Americans have shone brightly from the earliest days of stateside recorded music, with their West-African-influenced sensibilities tracing back to the days before, during and immediately after the transatlantic slave trade.
What is less acknowledged, however, is the influence of religion in the story — and specifically Catholicism. Read more>>>
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