Father John LaFarge, S.J. (1880-1963)

Born in Newport, Rhode Island, he was the son of a famous artist. After graduating from Harvard, he studied theology at Innsbruck, Austria, and was ordained a priest in 1905. He then joined the Jesuits, a lifelong dream. After a few brief teaching assignments, he worked as a hospital and prison chaplain on Blackwell’s Island (now Roosevelt Island) in New York City’s East River. This was a formative experience in his life. From 1911 to 1926, he worked in southern Maryland, ministering primarily to African-Americans. In 1926 he became assistant editor of America magazine. LaFarge was an early champion of civil rights, labeling racism a sin. In 1938 he helped Pope Pius XI compose an encyclical on racism that was never issued because Pius died. In 1934 he founded the Catholic Interracial Council of New York. One of his last public appearances before his death was at Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.