What you probably don’t know about Black history and the Church

Black women and men have played a vital role in the history of our faith -- and we should all know about it.

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Have you ever wondered what the Church has to say about Black history? A lot, it turns out. Black women and men have played a vital role in the history of our faith.

The month of February is set aside to celebrate Black history, so before the month is over, take a few moments to learn more about the history of Black Catholics and the Church’s work for racial justice. These 5 informative resources can help you do just that.

1African American Saints in Waiting

Ernest Morrell, Coyle Professor in Literacy Education at the University of Notre Dame, presents a lecture on “Six African American Saints in Waiting.”

2Racial Justice: Solidarity and the Church’s Call to Action

Catholic speaker and writer Gloria Purvis is currently serving as the inaugural Pastoral Fellow for The Notre Dame Office of Life and Human Dignity (NDOLHD) at the McGrath Institute for Church Life. In this lecture, she discusses “Racial Justice: Solidarity and the Church’s Call to Action.”

3Teaching Human Dignity

Intended to “promote the culture of life through education,” the Teaching Human Dignity series is a beautifully designed collection of resources that empowers teachers to incorporate life and human dignity issues into their curriculum.

Designed by Notre Dame faculty members, these resources seriously address the complexity of life and dignity issues in the modern world. They present a consistent, unified approach that upholds the inviolable worth of every human being.

4Thoughtful writing about Black history

You can find a selection of fascinating articles related to Black Catholics and Black history over at Church Life Journal.

5Conversations that Matter

Also from the McGrath Institute, three different presenters from the Office of Life and Human Dignity share how racial justice is part of the pro-life cause. You can watch them all at Conversations that Matter: The Intersection of Racial Justice and Life Issues.