Black History Month

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023 - Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023

Location: Nationwide
Contact: Rosalyn Pruitt
Phone: (501) 375-9617

Black History Month became a nationwide observance in1976. President Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and Frederick Douglass, renown abolitionist, author and orator, were both born in the month of February. The observance of Black History Month in February pays tribute to their contributions to the Black community. As Catholics, we can also learn about and reflect on the history of Black Catholics in the United States. In fact, the U.S. Church celebrates Black Catholic History Month in November. Read "On the Road to Sainthood: Leaders of African Descent" from the U.S. bishops' Office of African American Affairs or watch these videos about the holy men and women described in the article. Watch "Faith and Culture: Music in the Black Catholic Church," a video series from Catholic Extension that focuses on the power of music in worship. In Arkansas, read "Years after his death, Martin Luther King inspiring Catholics" in Arkansas Catholic. Visit the National Black Catholic Congress to find a list of Catholic events for Black History Month. Contact Rosalyn Pruitt, secretary for the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics, at (501) 375-9617, to find out how this month is being observed in the Diocese of Little Rock.