Where to find a Black Catholic History Month event (2021 edition)

Founded in 1990 by the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, Black Catholic History Month runs throughout November each year as an opportunity to highlight the heritage, patrimony, and witness of Black Catholics—especially African Americans.

Below is a list of events around the country carrying on the tradition and celebrating Black Catholic faith. The list will be continually updated throughout the month. (Missing your event? Email us at tips@blackcatholicmessenger.com.)

National

11/3 Lunchtime Concert with Thomas W. Jefferson.
11/3: Feast of St Martin de Porres.
11/7: 112th Founders' Day for the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary.
11/8: Mother Mary Lange Lecture in Black Catholic History at Villanova University with Dr. Erin Kathleen Rowe.
11/9: "Journeying with the Saints: Black Catholic Holy Men and Women" virtual retreat with Dr. C. Vanessa White.
11/8: "Racism, Trauma, and the Catholic Church" event in the "Black Catholics and the Millennial Gap" series with the National Black Catholic Congress. Featuring LaRyssa Herrington of the University of Notre Dame, John Barnes of Fordham University; Chanelle Robinson and Byron Wratee, both of Boston College.
11/9: "Santiago de Compostela and Black Madonnas: A Stay-at-home Pilgrimage" with Bro. Mickey McGrath, OSFS.
11/10: Father Joseph Davis, SM Annual BCHM Lecture in Sears Recital Hall at the University of Dayton with Dr. Kevin Winstead of Penn State University.
11/10: Founder's Day for Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (founded by Black nun Mother Theresa Maxis Duchemin)
11/11: “Still Mining the Forgotten: Black Catholic Nuns in United States History” lecture by Dr. Shannen Dee Williams in honor of the fourth anniversary of the death of Sister Mary Antona Ebo, FSM.
11/13: "Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord – The Role of Black Catholic Religious Communities in the USA" webinar with Boreta Singleton.
11/13: "The Ministry of SANKOFA for the 21st Century Black Church" webinar with Dr. Kathleen Dorsey Bellow.
11/13: "Transforming Spirituality in a Time of Plague" with Fr Bryan Massingale ("Toward a Spirituality of Racial Justice") and Dr. Andrew Prevot ("Impasse and Climate Crisis").
11/21: 169th anniversary of the private vows of Venerable Henriette DeLille and her Sisters of the Holy Family.
11/28: First anniversary of the elevation of Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the first African-American cardinal in history.
11/30: "The Unforgettable History of the National Black Sisters' Conference" FutureChurch lecture with Sr. Anita Baird, DHM.

Local

Archdiocese of Atlanta

11/14: Dedication Mass for the Archbishop James P. Lyke Memorial Gallery at Lyke House (Atlanta University Center).

Archdiocese of Baltimore

11/1: All Saints Day Mass at St Ann Catholic Church (kicking off letter-writing campaign to Pope Francis in support of African-American canonizations).
11/3: Thea Bowman talk with Sherita Thomas (interim director of Baltimore's Black Catholic ministry) at McGuire Hall, Loyola University Maryland.
11/14: Men's Day Celebration at St Bernardine Catholic Church with Cardinal Wilton Gregory.
11/27: BCHM Prayer Service. (details forthcoming)

Archdiocese of Boston

11/13: Bishop Healy Award Prayer Service and Celebration at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross with Cardinal Seán O'Malley, OFM Cap.

Archdiocese of Chicago

10/31: Event with Valerie Jennings at St Clement Catholic Church.

Archdiocese of Detroit

11/7: Black Catholic Ministry Gospel Choir 10th Anniversary Concert at Sacred Heart Detroit.
11/16: Inaugural BCHM Lecture at the University of Detroit Mercy with outgoing President Antoine Garibaldi.

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

11/6, 13, and 20: "On the Road to Sainthood" series with Fr Reginald Samuels of St Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park.

Archdiocese of Hartford

11/7, 14, 21, and 28: BCHM Masses and events every Sunday at St Justin-St Michael Catholic Church.

Archdiocese of Los Angeles

"Why (What) is Black Catholic History Month?" at St Monica Catholic Church with Bishop Edward Clark; Fr Anthony Bozeman, SSJ of Transfiguration Catholic Church; and Micaela LeBlanc, Supreme Lady of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary.

Archdiocese of Louisville

postponed to 12/11: 34th annual African American Catholic History Celebration at the Cathedral of the Assumption.
11/13: “Introduction to African American Catholic History in the U.S." class at the Catholic Enrichment Center.

Archdiocese of Milwaukee

11/6, 13, and 20: "Legacy of Enduring Faith" series.

Archdiocese of Minneapolis

11/6: St Martin de Porres pilgrimage beginning at Ascension Catholic Church.
11/6-7: Presentations at Mass on venerated African Americans at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Bloomfield with Susan Rich.

Archdiocese of New York

11/1: Pierre Toussaint Scholarship Fund Awards Dinner honoring Fr Greg Chisholm, SJ.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

10/31: "African American Men & Women on the Road to Sainthood" webinar with Fr Stephen Thorne from Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Media, Pa.
11/20: “Renewing the Human Family" Day of Reflection at St Malachy Church with Sr Cora Mae Billings, RSM.

Archdiocese of Seattle

11/14: "Living Witness: Black Catholic Faith | Past, Present, and Promise" BCHM celebration with Dr. Ansel Augustine and Mass with Deacon Joseph Connor.

Archdiocese of St. Louis

11/7: "Black Catholic History: Celebrating Our Ancestors" on St Louis Black Catholic history with Winnie Sullivan of St Francis Xavier College Church.
11/7: "The True History of the 1917 East St Louis Race War" presentation at St Alphonsus Liguori 'Rock' Church with Fr Joseph A. Brown, SJ of Southern Illinois University.
11/3, 10, 17, 24: BCHM interviews released each Wednesday of the month by St Francis Xavier College Church.

Diocese of Buffalo

10/31: Healing Mass in Honor of St Martin de Porres at St Martin de Porres Catholic Church.

Diocese of Camden

11/7: Mass honoring Servant of God Thea Bowman, followed by a presentation from artist Bro. Mickey McGrath, OSFS.

Diocese of Charleston

11/5: First Friday Table Talk with Fr Emmanuel Andinam of St Gerard Catholic Church in Aiken and Michael Gourdin of St Anthony Catholic Church in Greenville.

Diocese of Colorado Springs

11/6: Annual St Martin de Porres Dinner at St Joseph Catholic Church.

Diocese of Columbus

11/4, 13, and 20: "Unity in Community: Building Bridges" series.

Diocese of Dallas

11/13-21: Daily BCHM prayer events at 6pm CT on the diocese's Facebook page or website.

Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee

11/20 "Racial Unity Day of Reflection" with F. Dekarlos Blackmon of the Diocese of Austin, following Mass with Bishop William Wack, CSC at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

Diocese of Phoenix

11/21: Monthly Unity Mass at St Piux X Catholic Church with Fr Andrew McNair of Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral.

Diocese of Pittsburgh

11/3: "Black and Catholic – the Impact on the Identity of Black Americans and on the Culture of the Church" lecture with Fr Matthew Hawkins of St Benedict the Moor Catholic Church.
11/7, 14, 21, and 28: "Mass for Sister Thea Bowman" (Aaron Mathews) being used at Masses for St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church.
11/16: BCHM panel (virtual and in-person) with Fr Matthew Hawkins and Carey Dabney.

Diocese of Raleigh

"Ministry and Evangelization of African-Ancestry Catholics" at St Joseph Catholic Church with Fr A. Gerard Jordan, O.Praem of St Edward Catholic Church in New Iberia, La.

Diocese of Richmond

11/2: Screening of "The Angels in the Details", a documentary on the recently-restored Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, one of only two Black basilicas in the nation.
11/5: "Our Church, Our Story: Black Catholic Identity and Culture" virtual and in-person retreat with Dr. Tia Pratt. Mass with Bishop Barry Knestout.

Diocese of San Diego

11/7, 14, 20, and 28: BCHM homily series at Christ the King Catholic Church.

Diocese of Shreveport

11/7: "Celebrating the Powerful Work of God through the Lives of Catholic African Americans" BCHM Mass at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Reception and program will follow.

Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

11/10: "Black & Catholic at Notre Dame" BCHM lecture from Law School dean G. Marcus Cole.

Diocese of Toledo

11/5: "When the Saints Go Marching In: Celebrating the Saints of the African Diaspora" revival at St Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Fr Tony Ricard of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in New Orleans.
11/12, 13, 14, 17 and 18: "Tolton: From Slave to Priest" play on stage in various cities of the diocese.

Diocese of Wilmington

11/7: Annual St Martin de Porres Mass at St Helena Catholic Church with Bishop William Koenig.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger, a seminarian with the Josephites, and a ThM student with the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA).