Where to find a Catholic Black History Month event (2025 edition)

Fresh off of MLK Day celebrations in dioceses around the country, Black History Month is now upon us, bringing even more celebrations. We have compiled here a list of such events throughout the nation in the coming days and weeks.

(This list may not be exhaustive. Please contact your local diocese, Black Catholic office, or a Black parish in your area for more info. We will also be updating this page and the BCM calendar as more events are announced.)

National

2/1: Birthday of Langston Hughes, preeminent Black poet and longtime Mass-goer.
2/2: National Day of Prayer for the African-American and African Family
2/3: Feast of Venerable Mary Lange, founder of the nation’s first order of Black women religious (the Oblate Sisters of Providence).
2/8: Feast of St Josephine Bakhita, the first Black woman canonized in the modern era.
2/11: Birthday of Mother Mary Theodore Williams, FHM, founder of the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary.
2/12: Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament founder's day, honoring St. Katharine Drexel’s first vows in the order.
2/13: Anniversary of the death of Samuel “St. Peter's Sam” Henderson, formerly enslaved man who served the sick in Memphis during the devastating Yellow Fever epidemic of 1878.
2/27: Birthday of Fr Patrick Healy, SJ, one of the earliest Black priests in America and the “second founder” of Georgetown University.

Albany

2/11: “The Struggle Makes You Stronger: Lessons Dr. King Taught Me” keynote at Siena College in Loudonville with Nancy Giles at 7pm ET.

Atlanta

2/14-16: “The Hip Hop Mass” premiere at the Lyke House Catholic Center with Dr. Kevin P. Johnson.

Austin

2/2, 9, 16: BHM presentations on “The Church and Labor” following the 10am CT Masses at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
2/23: Motherland Sunday Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 10am CT.

Baltimore:

2/8: Venerable Mary Lange death anniversary Mass at Our Lady of Mount Providence Convent with Fr Albert Anuszewski, OSsT at 11am ET.
2/26: Sacred Jazz concert at the Baltimore Basilica with the Greg Hatza ORGANization and the Office of Black Catholic Ministries Choir at 7pm ET.

Boston

2/1-25: BHM events at Boston College.

Brooklyn

2/9: BHM Mass at St. Laurence Catholic Church at 9am ET.
2/15-16: BHM gala and Unity Mass at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church in Queens.
2/16: BHM Mass at St. Clare Catholic Church in Queens with Archbishop Kenneth Richards of Kingston at 11am ET.
2/16: BHM Mass at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church with Archbishop Kenneth Richards of Kingston at 4pm ET.
3/1: BHM Committee fundraiser at St. Pascal Baylon Church Hall in Queens at 2pm ET.

Chicago

2/2-7: African-American speaking series on Sundays at St. Sabina Catholic Church.
2/21: African American Heritage Prayer Service at Holy Name Cathedral at 9:30am CT.
2/23: BHM Family Day jazz Mass and brunch at St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Church with Fr Carl Gales, SVD at 9am CT.
2/23: Annual Archbishop James P. Lyke African American Male Image Awards at Georgios Banquets in Orland Park at 2pm CT.

Cincinnati

2/12: Annual Findley Lecture at the Athenaeum of Ohio’s Bartlett Center with Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville at 7:30pm ET.

Cleveland

2/8: Presentation on the legacy of Fr Clarence Williams, CPPS at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe with Dr. Regennia Williams at 9:30am ET.

Denver

2/15: Regional Black Catholic Congress at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Aurora with keynote speaker Sr Gail Trippett, CSJ and liturgist M. Roger Holland II at 10am MT.

Detroit

2/2-28: Black History Month events at the University of Detroit Mercy.
2/22: Songs of Freedom: Celebrating the Sacred Music of African American Composers at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church at 7pm ET.

Fall River

2/2: BHM Mass at Stonehill College’s Chapel of Mary in Easton at 7pm ET.

Harrisburg

2/9: BHM Mass at Saint Patrick Cathedral with Bishop Timothy Senior at 12:15pm ET.

Honolulu

2/7: Gospel heritage concert at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Kailua-Kona with the Kona Choral Society at 7pm HT.
2/16: Gospel heritage concert at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Kailua with the Windward Choral Society at 4pm HST.

Indianapolis

2/27-28: “Sacred Music and Race in the American Church” workshop at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology with Dr. Karen Shadle, Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Lafayette

2/23: Annual African Tea fundraiser at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge with the Drexel Society at 2pm CT.

Los Angeles

2/1-3/29: “Ghosts of Segregation” photography exhibition and conversation at Loyola Marymount University by Rich Frishman.
2/5: “Journeys of Black Mathematicians: Creating Pathways” film screening and panel at Loyola Marymount University with Dr. Robin Wilson at 6pm PT.
2/8: Rosary against Human Trafficking for the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita at St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church in Redondo Beach at 7pm PT.
2/15: BHM Mass and Keeper of the Flame awards ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels with Archbishop José H. Gómez at 5pm PT.
2/16: “Singing the Spirituals” event at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach with Dr. Kim Harris at 10am PT.

Louisville

2/25: Annual Thomas Merton Lecture at Bellarmine University with Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. of Lexington at 7pm ET.

Memphis

2/1-27: BHM events at Christian Brothers University.

Milwaukee

2/1-28: BHM events at Marquette University.

Mobile

2/2: BHM program at Prince of Peace Catholic Church with Robert Holmes at 3pm CT.

Newark

2/2: BHM presentation at Christ the King Catholic Church with Dr. Valerie Lewis-Mosley at 10am ET.
2/4-27: BHM events at Seton Hall University in South Orange.
2/16: BHM Jubilee Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart with Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR at 2:30pm ET.

New York

2/2, 9, 16, 23: “A Pilgrimage of Courageous Hope” BHM Masses at various parishes.
2/11: BHM lecture at Fordham University’s Lowenstein Building with Christina Swarns at 4:30pm ET.

Oakland

2/2, 9, 23: African American Celebration Series during Sunday Masses at St. Columba Catholic Church.
2/2, 9, 23: BHM events at St. Benedict Catholic Church.
2/20-23: Gospel music workshop and Mass with M. Roger Holland II at St. Columba Catholic Church.

Paterson

2/16: BHM ecumenical services at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist at 10:30am and 4pm ET.

Philadelphia

2/3-: Sister Bea Jeffries, SBS, Black Catholic Formation Program.

Phoenix

2/2: National Day of Prayer for the African-American and African Family at the 11am MT Sunday Mass for St. Josephine Bakhita Mission.
2/9: BHM Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral with Bishop John P. Dolan at 9am MT.

Pittsburgh

2/19: “America's Real Sister Act: Black Catholic Nuns in United States History” lecture at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Coraopolis with Dr. Shannen Dee Williams at 7pm ET.

Richmond

2/1: BHM presentation at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception with Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Joseph N. Perry of Chicago at 10am ET.

Rockville Centre

2/23: BHM Mass at St. Martha Catholic Church in Uniondale with Auxiliary Bishop Andrzej Zglejszewski at 12:30pm ET.

San Jose

2/23: BHM Mass at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church with Bishop Oscar Cantú at 3pm PT. Reception to follow.

Scranton

2/3-26: BHM events at the University of Scranton.

Seattle

2/7-8: “Six Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood” presentation at St. Madeleine Sophie Catholic Church in Bellevue with ValLimar Jansen.

Spokane

2/1-10: BHM events at Gonzaga University.

Springfield in Illinois

2/22: BHM Mass and soul food diner at St. Aloysius Catholic Church with Fr Frederick Mbiere at 4pm CT.

St. Augustine

2/1: Militia Muster reenactment at Fort Mose Historic State Park at approximately 9:30am ET.
2/6-16: Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series at Fort Mose Historic State Park.
2/9: Spirituals concert at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Jacksonville with M. Roger Holland II and the Cathedral Choir.
2/20-22: Flight to Freedom reenactment at Fort Mose Historic State Park at 9am ET.

Toledo

2/23: “All God’s Children” concert at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Dr. Antoine T. Clark, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, and the Bowling Green State University Gospel Choir at 5pm ET.

Toronto

2/22: BHM/African Heritage Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 5pm ET.

Washington

2/5: BHM lecture at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with Dr. Maurice Jackson and student musicians from the Duke Ellington School for the Arts at 6:30pm ET
2/22: BHM Mass at the Church of the Incarnation with Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. at 10am ET. Praise and worship begins at 9:30am. Fellowship to follow Mass.
2/27: Building Bridges Dinner at the Catholic University of America’s Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center with Will Jawando at 6pm ET.

Wichita

2/4: MLK Distinguished Service Awards ceremony at Newman University’s Dugan Gorges Conference Center at 4pm CT.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.