Celebrating African Heritage: Black America's Tribute to the New Pope

Black America is reveling in a groundbreaking announcement that is resonating across the Vatican and New Orleans: Pope Leo XIV, previously Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, boasts Black and Creole ancestry. Genealogist Jari Honora confirms his maternal lineage ties directly to the 7th Ward's vibrant Black community, with roots extending to Haiti. "We have a Black Pope," remarked author Elie Mystal. Honora further elaborated on the Pope’s grandparents who wed in 1887 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church before moving north; notably, his mother was the first in Chicago.