First African-American Priest in the United States

Father Augustine Tolton is considered as the first African-American priest in the U.S. and apparently offered his first Mass in the United States at Saint Mary Hospital, Hoboken, on July 6, 1886. This 1986 issue of The Josephine Harvest has a four-page illustrated article about him celebrating the centennial of his return to America as a priest. Donated by Mel Kiernan, it is one of hundreds of items recently received from him. To learn the whole story, go to our online catalog, enter keyword: 2014.025.0420 or tolton (You can see the pages, read the transcribed text or download a PDF.)