US bishops commemorate Black History Month: 'Let us be faithful stewards of memory'

(OSV News) -- Two U.S. bishops Feb. 3 urged Catholics to be "faithful stewards of memory" and "courageous witnesses to truth" during Black History Month, observed in February.

Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of Austin, Texas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, and Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. of Washington, chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on African American Affairs, issued a joint statement to commemorate the month.

They noted that the 2026 observance marks 100 years of commemorating Black history in the United States. "This milestone is an opportunity for us to prayerfully reflect on the ways history has been preserved, honored, and passed on across generations," Bishop Garcia and Bishop Campbell said.

In 1926, Carter G. Woodson, an American historian, author and journalist, initiated the first Negro History Week in February of that year. He selected the week that included the birthdays of two key figures in the history of Black Americans: President Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Feb. 20).

It expanded and became Black History Month, officially recognized by President Gerald R. Ford in February 1976, and later codified by Congress in 1986. The combined efforts marked what the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture called a century of commemorating the history, achievements and contributions of Black Americans.

The bishops pointed to "Open Wide Our Hearts," the U.S. bishops’ pastoral letter against racism, in which they said the bishops "recognized that the lived experience of the vast majority of African Americans bears the marks of our country’s original sin of racism."

"During this year’s observance of Black History Month, we encourage the faithful to consider the lessons of history, honoring our heroes of the past and learning from the mistakes of the past," they said.

"Although we may at times encounter people or situations in our country that seek to erase ‘memory’ from our minds and books, it can never be erased from our hearts," they continued.

"May our reflections strengthen our faith and communities. Let us be faithful stewards of memory. Let us be courageous witnesses to truth. Let us pray and work to honor the inherent dignity of every person and the sacred stories of every people.”

In a joint reflection they issued with the statement, Bishop Garcia and Bishop Campbell emphasized that racism is a sin against human dignity.

"As shepherds of the Church, entrusted with the care of souls and the proclamation of the Gospel, we care deeply for our people, their joys and sorrows, and the stories they carry. This is especially important in our efforts to witness to the dignity of every person, which requires acknowledging the times in our nation’s history when racism has prevented that dignity from being realized," they said.

"This reflection is about the sacred task of remembering," they added. "We must recommit ourselves to the sacred task of remembering -- especially the stories of those whose voices have long been unheard. Sacred Scripture and Tradition offer a way forward for helping us understand why telling our stories is central to the Gospel mandate."