Black Saints: Charles Randoph Uncles

This story appears in the Black Saints feature series. View the full series.
Charles Randoph Uncles (credit: Josephite Archives)
Charles Randoph Uncles (credit: Josephite Archives)

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Nov. 11 Charles Randolph Uncles

Charles Randolph Uncles was the son of a B & O Railroad worker and a dressmaker mother. Fr. Uncles was an extremely bright student in high school and college. He broke the color barrier in Baltimore’s St. Mary’s Seminary, at a time when segregation within and outside the Catholic Church was the norm. Fr. Uncles’ ultimate achievement, his ordination, in 1891 made headlines around the country, including those of the New York Times newspaper. Two years after his famous ordination, Father Uncles became one of the founders of the St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heat. More commonly known as the Josephites, this order’s mission is to evangelize African Americans, mostly in the United States.

More about Black Catholic history

Blacks in Catholic Christianity have a long and vibrant history.

Much of that history is generally unknown to Black Catholics as well as to the rest of the faithful. On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States designated November as Black Catholic History Month to celebrate this long history and proud heritage of Black Catholics. During this month we celebrate the presence of our ancestors who kept the faith and are models of living the Gospel life.

November is Black Catholic History Month, read more about it.

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