This was tonight! Will tell more tomorrow! Black History Lecture on History of Black Nuns in US from Shannen Dee Williams

My seminary hosted this speaker and topic for its annual Black History Lecture. And. IT. WAS. THE. BOMB! I’ve made some quick posts about it on my social media with some pictures up. Here’s what I said:

“Dr. Shannen Dee Williams rocked the house with her presentation tonight! She was so jammed packed full of knowledge of the plight of Black religious sisters throughout Black Catholic history in the U.S. She told a long and hard story but one that needs to be told and heard by more and more, especially us Catholics. It is one that hardly anyone knows about. Religious sister already often lead a hidden life; thats part of the vocation, but Black sisters had to lead a double hidden life – One for the regular vocation, two for their skin color. Rejected from being in orders, having to deny their blackness in orders by passing as white with them (and orders keeping it a secret), facing persecution in the orders. One thing Dr. Williams hammered home was the lost Black vocations because of it. BUT through all that Black sisters STILL kept the faith! Still remained true to the calling God gave them. Even founded an order or two! The story is hard, but there is still a lot in the story of Black Catholic sisters that ALL of us Catholics should own and be proud of! These Black sisters were our sisters, too!

Some of the pics!