Pope Leo XIV received a copy of his family tree from Henry Louis Gates Jr., marking his first public acknowledgment of his Black ancestry.

When Henry Louis Gates Jr. set out to trace the family tree of America’s first pope, he had no idea he was about to uncover […] ...

The day after Pope Leo XIV was named to lead the Catholic Church, historians in Atlanta are sharing new details about his ancestry. According to the historians exploring the pope’s genetic ...

Pope Leo XIV grew up in Chicago, not New Orleans. The pontiff’s roots are an example of a broader pattern of migration amongst Creoles during the 20th century.

Pope Leo has not made his racial identity a large topic of public discussion. Still, his ancestry appears to be giving some people in Chicago hope that he will elevate the status of Black American ...

The first American pope, Pope Leo XIV’s ancestry reveals that he may be the first Black pope, with roots tying back to Haiti and New Orleans. When white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel and ...

We are thrilled to welcome Pope Leo XIV, who embodies morality, unity, and inclusivity.” Genealogists continue to dig into the pope’s records to find out more information about his ancestry.

Jari Honora, family historian for the Historic New Orleans Collection, shows genealogy material of the grandparents of Pope Leo XIV in New Orleans, Friday, May 9, 2025. Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert ...

ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) — It’s amazing what a trip to the courthouse will get you, because come to find out, the Pope, Robert Francis Prevost has a family history right in St. Landry ...

The newly elected pontiff is not known to have publicly commented on his Creole ancestry, which includes people of mixed Spanish or French and Black descent. And the family did not identify as Black, ...

The election of Pope Leo XIV, who is the first U.S. pope and has Creole roots, is raising more awareness about the complexity of the Creole identity.