Pope Leo XIV’s Black and Creole Heritage Sparks Cultural Pride in Black America

Black America is celebrating a powerful truth: Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago—has deep Black and Creole roots. Genealogist Jari Honora traced his maternal lineage to New Orleans' historic 7th Ward, with ancestral ties to Haiti and census records labeling family members as “Black” or “Mulatto.” His grandparents were married in 1887 at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church before migrating north, grounding the Pope’s story firmly in Black American history. As author Elie Mystal remarked, “We kind of got a Black Pope.” This revelation is more than symbolic—it’s a cultural and spiritual affirmation resonating far beyond Vatican walls. Amid global conversations about inclusion and identity, Pope Leo XIV’s lineage is a reminder that history often holds truths more powerful than politics.