Black History Month: A Month of Witness and Gratitude

Throughout February, we shared a series of reflections honoring Black leaders whose faith, courage, and service have shaped the Episcopal Church across generations.

We remembered pioneers such as the Rev. Peter and Anna Cassey, whose work in education and ministry helped build strong foundations for Black Episcopalians in California; trailblazers including Bishop Barbara Harris, the first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion, and the Rev. Pauli Murray, priest, lawyer, and saint of the Church; and foundational figures like the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first African American priest in the Episcopal Church.

We also highlighted leaders whose ministry continues in our own time, including the Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, as well as the ongoing work of the Union of Black Episcopalians.

Black History Month invites us not only to remember the past, but also to recognize the living legacy of faith that continues to shape the Church today. The witness of these leaders calls us to deeper commitment, broader compassion, and renewed hope for the future.

We give thanks for all who have gone before us, for those who serve faithfully now, and for the generations who will carry this work forward.