The First Black Pope

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the left follow the one drop rule when determining someone's race? Very retro.

No, but MAGA Republicans do. It seems they are losing their minds about the new Pope.

No we aren’t.

If you weren't, you wouldn't even be posting here. You would just scroll on by.

This is a thread about the pope being black, not maga. Having an opinion on that has nothing to do with “losing my mind about the new pope.” Grow up.

[Anonymous]

This is the dumbest post I've seen in a while. And on here, that's saying a lot.

[Anonymous]

As many other mixed race people did in the late 19th/early 20th century, his grandparents moved north and chose to live as white people. They were escaping Jim Crow.

The evolution of the racial description of Leo’s ancestors was probably an attempt to hide their African ancestry during the Jim Crow era, Kearns said.

“There’s a history of racial passing in American history and within the Black community,” he said. “If they present as White in a convincing enough fashion, there’s a temptation to cut off your history with your Black family and start life anew as a White person.”

https://wapo.st/3YENRVu (gift link)

[Anonymous]

I saw several posts from Haitian-Americans that were excited because apparently these same grandparents were Haitian. If there is any truth to that, perhaps they went from there to New Orleans and then Chicago?

[Anonymous]

Don't tell Trump the Pope is black. He will fire him for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw several posts from Haitian-Americans that were excited because apparently these same grandparents were Haitian. If there is any truth to that, perhaps they went from there to New Orleans and then Chicago?

It looks like his grandfather was probably born in Haiti, but genealogists haven't found his birth records from there yet. And his grandmother had old roots in the New Orleans creole community - her mother was baptized in St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter in 1840. Lots of people are working on it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/us/pope-creole-roots-new-orleans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GE8.K6BB.qR_GJGKSFjK-&smid=url-share

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thought crossed my mind that you could also have a Jewish pope in this manner. What I mean is a catholic pope of hidden Jewish heritage.

Pope Andreas

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thought crossed my mind that you could also have a Jewish pope in this manner. What I mean is a catholic pope of hidden Jewish heritage.

Pope Andreas

Jewish Folklore

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the left follow the one drop rule when determining someone's race? Very retro.

It isn't the left who came up with the one drop rule. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new pope is going to be dragged in American cultural wars on every front.

His family should just take a DNA test. I would find that more interesting than anything the OP is saying.

What does a DNA test have anything to do with anything. They claimed black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is an interesting factoid but one day we will have an actual black pope and I don’t think it’s fair to take that from him for a man who doesn’t identify with that or look like it.

You clearly have no idea how many black people there are who don't look black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In an interview, when his brother was asked if he knew about their black heritage, he denied it.

Not sure how one doesn’t know that their grandparents are people of color, but….. if the pope had known and vocalized his African-American heritage he would’ve never been named Pope.

He didn't deny it. He said he didn't know a lot about that side of the family.

His grandfather was from Haiti and his grandmother was black creole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the dumbest post I've seen in a while. And on here, that's saying a lot.

Oh please. MAGAs have shown their true racist colors over the last 3 months. Thought I'd have a little fun.

To be clear, I don't care at all. I'm agnostic. I don't believe in religion at all. But racist MAGAs will care a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw several posts from Haitian-Americans that were excited because apparently these same grandparents were Haitian. If there is any truth to that, perhaps they went from there to New Orleans and then Chicago?

It looks like his grandfather was probably born in Haiti, but genealogists haven't found his birth records from there yet. And his grandmother had old roots in the New Orleans creole community - her mother was baptized in St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter in 1840. Lots of people are working on it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/09/us/pope-creole-roots-new-orleans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GE8.K6BB.qR_GJGKSFjK-&smid=url-share

According to the article:

Joseph N. Martinez was recorded as a Black man, born in “Hayti.” His wife, two daughters and an aunt, were also marked “B” in a column denoting “color or race.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is an interesting factoid but one day we will have an actual black pope and I don’t think it’s fair to take that from him for a man who doesn’t identify with that or look like it.

You clearly have no idea how many black people there are who don't look black.

Eh, this is not so cut and dry. Some people like OP believe in the "one drop" rule. I don't. I think black is a color or a set of facial features. I don't think being of African or slave descent necessarily gives you those features so you can be 1/5 African but not be black IMO.