The History of Black Catholics in the United States [Paperback]

Cyprian Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995

This book makes an extremely valuable contribution to our understanding of African-American religious life by presenting the first full-length treatment of the Black Catholic experience. It should be read by all interested in the history and culture of Black Americans.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"The story of the black Catholic community in the United States begins with the story of the Catholic church in Africa." With this historical overview, Davis, professor at Indiana's St. Meinrad School of Theology, begins his task--"to retrieve a mislaid memory" of the black Catholic presence in the United States for the last 300 years. The issue of slavery--including the uneasy responses of America's first bishop, John Carroll, in the late 18th century, and the pro-slavery views of John Hughes, outspoken archbishop of New York during the Civil War--is positioned within the political and social fabric of those centuries. Yet, as shown in this masterfully concise history, the faith flourished among such black Catholics as Pierre Toussaint, the 19th-century New Yorker now proposed for sainthood. Studded with personal stories, this is a chronicle both sad and inspiring. Davis's groundbreaking research should pave the way for further exploration of the growing black Catholic community.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: The Crossroad Publishing Company (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824514955
• ISBN-13: 978-0824514952
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Instant Classic, December 21, 2005

By 

Robert W. Kellemen "Doc. K." (Crown Point, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The History of Black Catholics in the United States (Paperback)

Cyprian Davis, a Benedictine monk and a professor of church history, has penned an instant classic with his work "The History of Black Catholics in the United States." It is clearly a balanced book written without bias or rancor. Davis is also a precise scholar with a plethora of original resources at his beck and call. Additionally, he is an interesting writer, which, sad to say, is not always true of historians. If you are interested in Black Catholicism in America, particularly it's history, this is a wonderfully written, well document resource.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST HISTORY OF BLACK CATHOLICS AVAILABLE, September 9, 2009

By 

Steven H. Propp (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The History of Black Catholics in the United States (Paperback)

Cyprian Davis (a Benedictine monk and professor of church history, as well as an African-American himself) and has written a wonderfully informative and fascinating history of black Catholics in this country. He begins by surveying the "African Roots" of black Catholics (and points out that "African" did not necessarily mean "Black African," and that St. Augustine was not black), and covers earlier figures such as St. Martin de Poores.

Davis's book is filled with fascinating details, covering subjects such as:

* St. Augustine's in Florida, home to "the oldest Black Catholic community."
* The foundation of religious orders of black sisters ("black religious women were present at the very beginning of the history of Catholic nuns in the United States").
* The first black priests in the U.S. were three brothers, who were born to an Irishman named Michael Morris Healy; one of them, James Augustine Healy---the first black Catholic bishop in the U.S.---"did (not) speak out on behalf of African-Americans."
* The first black Catholic lay congress in 1889.
* The establishment of "the only black Catholic institution of higher learning in the United States," Xavier University of Louisiana.

Davis's book is not an apologetic for the deficiencies of the Catholic Church. He notes, for example, that although in 1839, Pope Gregory XVI condemned slavery, "the Catholic Church in the United States found itself incapable of taking any decisive action or enunciating clearly thought-out principles regarding slavery." He also points out that "The history of the Catholic Church's efforts to evangelize the black people of the United States in the period following the Civil War is not a very glorious one." He also notes sadly, "By and large Catholics, either black or white, were not in the forefront of the civil rights movement."

Davis's book is essential reading for anyone interested in Catholic history, African-American history, or Black Religion in general.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for All Catholics, July 20, 2008

By 

40+ Black Guy "Tony" (Chicago Western Suburbs, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The History of Black Catholics in the United States (Paperback)

This book explains the roots of the Catholic faith for African Americans. I experienced wide emotional swings while reading the book but ended in a higher spiritual place. I highly recommend.