Organized by Daniel Rudd, a Black Catholic journalist and activist, the Congress brought together over 100 Black Catholic men from across the United... Continue →
Celebrated on January 7 by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, Genna marks the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Julian calendar. Rich in tradition,... Continue →
James Varick, the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church, was born on this day. A pioneer of religious independence... Continue →
Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, the nearby crypt containing the remains of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his boyhood home are dedicated as part... Continue →
On this day, Harold R. Perry was consecrated as a bishop, becoming the second Black Roman Catholic bishop in U.S. history and the first to serve in... Continue →
John M. Burgess was installed as bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, making him the first African American diocesan bishop... Continue →
The Pioneer African Baptist Church, later known as the First African Baptist Church, was organized in Savannah, Georgia, with Andrew Bryan as its... Continue →
Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, known as the "Father of Gospel Music," passed away in Chicago, Illinois. A prolific composer, performer, and recording artist,... Continue →
Amanda Berry Smith was born into slavery in Long Green, Maryland. After gaining her freedom, she became a renowned evangelist and missionary. Defying... Continue →
On January 24, 1989, the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts ratified the election of Reverend Barbara Harris as bishop suffragan. This confirmation... Continue →
On January 25, 1999, Reverend Henry Lyons, then-president of the National Baptist Convention USA, went on trial for embezzling millions of dollars... Continue →
On January 27, 1973, Joseph Lawson Howze was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, Mississippi, becoming the first African... Continue →
On January 27, 1972, Mahalia Jackson, the “Queen of Gospel,” passed away in Evergreen Park, Illinois. Known for her powerful voice and deep... Continue →
Henry McNeal Turner was born on February 1, 1834, in what is now known as Hannah Circuit near Newberry, then part of Abbeville County, South... Continue →
On February 11, 1989, The Right Reverend Barbara Clementine Harris, a Philadelphia native, became the first woman ever consecrated as a bishop in the... Continue →
Owen L. W. Smith, an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion minister and educator from North Carolina, was appointed as the U.S. Minister to Liberia.... Continue →
Jarena Lee, the daughter of former slaves, was born in Cape May, New Jersey. She is considered the first female preacher in the African Methodist... Continue →
Roberta Martin was born on this day in Helena, Arkansas. A pioneering figure in gospel music, she worked closely with gospel greats like Thomas... Continue →
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was officially organized at a meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was... Continue →
Absalom Jones, the first African American to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church, died on this day in 1818. A pioneering religious leader... Continue →
Richard Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia on this day in 1760. He later purchased his freedom and became a pioneering religious and civic... Continue →
William H. Heard, an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) minister, educator, and civil rights advocate, was appointed U.S. Minister to Liberia by... Continue →
Daniel Alexander Payne, a key leader in African American religious and educational life, was born on this day. He became the first Black president of... Continue →
Elijah Muhammad, longtime leader of the Nation of Islam, died in Chicago at the age of 77. Under his leadership, the organization grew significantly,... Continue →
Pope John XXIII elevated Bishop Laurian Rugambwa of Tanganyika (modern-day Tanzania) to the College of Cardinals, making him the first Black cardinal... Continue →
Rev. Ralph David Abernathy was born in Linden, Alabama. A close aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Abernathy co-founded the Southern Christian... Continue →
On this day, Malcolm X publicly announced his departure from the Nation of Islam, citing growing ideological differences and disillusionment with the... Continue →
Bishop George Alexander McGuire was a pioneering Black religious leader and founder of the African Orthodox Church. A staunch advocate for racial... Continue →
Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, died at age 71. A visionary religious leader and former enslaved man, Allen... Continue →
James Augustine Healy, the first known Black Roman Catholic bishop in the United States, was born near Macon, Georgia. He was the son of an Irish... Continue →
Johnson C. Smith University was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Biddle Memorial Institute. Established by the Presbyterian Church to educate... Continue →
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America released This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship, a landmark hymnal and liturgical... Continue →
Richard Allen was elected and ordained as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Philadelphia. This marked the formal... Continue →
Benjamin L. Hooks, a Memphis lawyer, Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, became the first African American appointed to the Federal... Continue →
On this day, Richard Allen was named the first bishop of the newly formed African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Founded by several independent... Continue →
Richard Harvey Cain was born on this day in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now West Virginia). A prominent African Methodist Episcopal (AME) bishop,... Continue →
On Palm Sunday, April 13, 1669, an African American man named Emmanuel was baptized in a Lutheran congregation in New York, marking the first... Continue →
Thomas W. Turner, founder of the Federation of Colored Catholics and a charter member of the NAACP, passed away at the age of 101. Turner was a... Continue →
On April 16, 1962, Archbishop Joseph Rummel of New Orleans excommunicated three prominent white segregationists for their ongoing resistance to the... Continue →
On April 24, 1886, Augustus Tolton was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Rome, becoming the first publicly recognized Black Catholic priest in the... Continue →
On April 26, 1991, Maryann Bishop Coffey made history as the first woman and the first African American to be named co-chair of the National... Continue →
On April 28, 1967, Mrs. Dorothy I. Height—then known formally as Mrs. Robert W. Claytor—was elected as the first Black president of the national... Continue →
On May 2, 1870, William J. Seymour was born in Centerville, Louisiana. The son of formerly enslaved parents, Seymour would rise to become one of the... Continue →
On May 2, 1969, civil rights activist James Forman interrupted a service at Riverside Church in Detroit to deliver the “Black Manifesto,”... Continue →
On May 2, 1930, theologian and mystic Howard Thurman was appointed Dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University. As one of the most influential Black... Continue →
On May 5, 1821, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) Church was officially incorporated in New York City. Known as the "Freedom Church,"... Continue →
William J. Seymour, born May 7, 1870, became a pivotal figure in the spread of Pentecostalism. As the son of formerly enslaved parents in Louisiana,... Continue →
On May 7, 2017, following Emmanuel Macron’s election as President of France, conversations about the legacy of Christiane Taubira, France’s first... Continue →
On May 8, 1915, Bishop Henry McNeal Turner passed away at the age of 82. A towering figure in 19th-century Black leadership, Turner was the first... Continue →
On May 10, 1963, Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, a key leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), announced a partial victory in the... Continue →
On May 11, 2000, the final volume of South Africa\'s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report was released. Chaired by Archbishop Desmond... Continue →
On May 13, 1976, Sir Douglas Nicholls was appointed Governor of South Australia, making history as the first Aboriginal person to hold a vice-regal... Continue →
On May 14, 1890, Rosa Jinsey Young was born in Rosebud, Alabama. The daughter of a Methodist circuit rider, Young became one of Alabama’s most... Continue →
On May 15, 1795, John Marrant was ordained as a Methodist minister in London, England, becoming one of the first Black missionaries in North America... Continue →
On May 17, 1969, Reverend Thomas Kilgore Jr., pastor of Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was elected president of the American Baptist... Continue →
On May 17, 1915, the National Baptist Convention was officially chartered in the United States. As one of the oldest and largest African American... Continue →
On May 23, 1920, the Methodist Episcopal Church, during its general conference in Des Moines, Iowa, elected its first two Black bishops: Matthew W.... Continue →
At the National Black Economic Development Conference in Detroit, civil rights activist James Forman presented the "Black Manifesto," demanding $500... Continue →
On this day in 1854, James Augustine Healy, first Black American Roman Catholic bishop, ordained a priest in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris.
On this day in 1910, William D. Crum (1859-1912), a South Carolina physician, appointed minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1961, Bishop Robert Clarence Lawson passed away. He was the founder of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith... Continue →
On this date, a Black enslaved woman was acquitted of sorcery during the infamous Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts. While many were... Continue →
On this date in 1941, Maulana Karenga, originally named Ronald Everett, was born. He is best known as the founder of Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration... Continue →
On July 17, 1794, Richard Allen founded the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Philadelphia. This church became one of the first... Continue →
On July 17, 1794, Absalom Jones and his followers dedicated the African Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia. This church was notable for being one... Continue →
Lemuel Haynes was indeed a remarkable figure in American history. Born on July 18, 1753, in West Hartford, Connecticut, Haynes is recognized as the... Continue →
On July 30, 1822, James Varick was consecrated as the first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church). This was a... Continue →
On July 31, 1960, Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam, publicly advocated for the creation of a separate, autonomous state for African... Continue →
On August 1, 1979, James Patterson Lyke was installed as an auxiliary bishop of the Cleveland Diocese in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a member... Continue →
James Cone, born on August 5, 1938, was a prominent theologian, best known for his work in Black Liberation Theology. He was a significant figure in... Continue →
James Augustine Healy, an American Roman Catholic bishop, passed away on August 5, 1900. He was the first African American to be ordained a priest in... Continue →
On August 6, 1795, Absalom Jones was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church, making him the first African American to hold this position... Continue →
On August 7, 1960, Black and white students in Atlanta staged kneel-in demonstrations at segregated churches as part of the Civil Rights Movement.... Continue →
On August 8, 1805, the African Baptist Church was organized in Boston, Massachusetts. This church played an important role in the religious and... Continue →
On August 11, 1820, the African Methodist Zion Church and the Asbury African Methodist Church of New York City established their own separate African... Continue →
The burning of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Leesburg, Georgia, on August 15, 1962, was a significant event in the Civil Rights era. The church,... Continue →
On August 16, 1972, Rev. Philip A. Potter, a Black Methodist minister from Dominica, was appointed as the General Secretary of the World Council of... Continue →
On August 16, 1890, Alexander Clark was named the U.S. Minister to Liberia. This appointment marked a significant moment in history, as Clark became... Continue →
On August 18, 1989, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a leading anti-apartheid activist in South Africa, defied apartheid laws by delivering a sermon in... Continue →
William Herbert Gray III, also known as Bill Gray, was born on August 20, 1941. He was a prominent American politician, pastor, and advocate for... Continue →
On August 21, 1831, Nat Turner led one of the most significant slave revolts in U.S. history. Known as Nat Turner's Rebellion, the event took place... Continue →
on September 5, 1804, Absalom Jones was ordained as the first African American priest in the Episcopal Church. This was a significant moment in... Continue →
ON this date in 1931, Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu born.
ON this date in 1897, Elijah Poole, aka The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, born
On this date in 1941, Activist and 1988 candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Rev Jesse Jackson, born in Greenville, Sounth Carolina.
On this date in 1863, The first exclusively Black parish in the United States was Saint Francis Xavier Church in Baltimore, Maryland. It was... Continue →
On this date in 1984, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Awarded Nobel Peace Prize, African activist.
On this date in 1922, Leon Howard Sullivan was born on this day.
ON this date in 1994, Dexter Scott King, youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, is named head of Southern Christian Leadership... Continue →
On this date in 1921, Solomon Porter Hood named minister to Liberia.
On this date in 1976, Reverend Joseph H. Evans elected president of the United Church of Christ.
On this dated in 1820, The "Emancipator," the first anti-slavery magazine, was issued monthly from April 30 to October 31, 1820. It was edited and... Continue →
On this date in 1893, Daniel A. Payne died. The sixth bishop of the American Methodist Episcopal Church, Payne was the first African American... Continue →
On this date in 1874, James Theodore Holly, a Black American who emigrated to Haiti in 1861, elected bishop of Haiti. He was consecrated in a... Continue →
On this date in 1836, Theo Wright becomes the first Black person to get a Theology Degree in the US.
On this date in 1858, Samuel E. Cornish died. Samuel Cornish was an American Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, publisher, and journalist. He was a... Continue →
Mother Mathilda Beasley, born Mathilda Taylor on November 14, 1832, in New Orleans, Louisiana, was a pioneering African American educator and the... Continue →
Richard Allen, founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, compiled and published the first hymnal by a Black... Continue →
Over 900 people, most of them African American, died in a mass murder-suicide at the People’s Temple Agricultural Project (commonly known as... Continue →
On this day, Howard Thurman was born in Daytona Beach, Florida. A theologian, philosopher, and civil rights leader, Thurman became one of the most... Continue →
On November 21, 1918, Henry Beard Delany was consecrated as the Suffragan Bishop for Colored Work in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina,... Continue →
On this date, Wallace D. Fard Muhammad began teaching in Detroit, Michigan, marking the founding of the Nation of Islam (NOI). He taught a unique... Continue →
On this day, Henry Watson Furniss, a respected African American physician from Indiana, was appointed U.S. Minister to Haiti, becoming one of the... Continue →
On this day, more than 150 delegates from Baptist churches across eleven U.S. states gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, to organize the Baptist Foreign... Continue →
On this day, John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in England, baptized the first two known Black converts to Methodism. This event marked a... Continue →
On this day, the Society of Colored People in Baltimore began keeping records in a notebook that continued until September 7, 1845. This group is... Continue →
Reverend James Cleveland was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1932. Known as the "King of Gospel Music," he first sang gospel under the... Continue →
Sarah Gorham, born on December 5, 1832, became the first woman appointed by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as a missionary to a foreign... Continue →
On December 7, 1972, the Rev. W. Sterling Cary was unanimously elected as the first Black president of the National Council of Churches (NCC), the... Continue →
Henry Hugh Proctor was born in Fayette County, Tennessee. He became a prominent African American minister, educator, and writer, known for his work... Continue →
St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian of African and Indigenous descent, was born in Lima, Peru, and became the first Black saint of the Americas. Known... Continue →
On this day, the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church (CME) was officially organized in Jackson, Tennessee, by 41 freedmen and former slaves. The... Continue →
Henry Adams was born enslaved in Forks of the Road, Louisiana. After gaining freedom, he became a Union Army soldier, political leader, and civil... Continue →
On December 19, 1891, Charles Randolph Uncles became the first African American priest ordained in the United States. Born on November 8, 1859, in... Continue →
Henry Highland Garnet, a minister, abolitionist, and diplomat, was born into slavery in Kent County, Maryland. He became a prominent figure in the... Continue →
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