Celebrating Blessed Absalom Jones and Black History Month
February is the month in which we begin the church season of Lent and our walk with Jesus to Jerusalem and the cross. It is also the month that civically, and as people of faith, we observe Black History Month. This year is the 50th celebration of Black History Month, a commemoration that has been endorsed by every U.S. President since President Gerald Ford first officially recognized Black History Month in 1976. That year, President Ford called upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Last year, Joe McDaniel Jr., a member of The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council, wrote an excellent essay on the importance of celebrating Black History Month. Amongst the reasons he noted are:
- To help to promote social justice and equality within the church, recognizing and appreciating the contributions of African Americans, living into our values of respecting the diversity of our members, and highlighting the ongoing struggle for racial justice and a more inclusive and equitable society.
- Black History Month provides an opportunity for the church to engage in reflection and education gaining a deeper understanding of racial issues and work toward reconciliation and healing.
- Celebrating Black History Month encourages the church to confront and address its history of racism and discrimination. By actively working to repair the harm done the church can move toward reconciliation and create a more racially just and inclusive institution.
- To serve as a source of inspiration and empowerment for African American members of the church.
- And lastly, celebrating Black History Month is an act of solidarity with the wider Black community.
(For complete essay see: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/racialreconciliation/why-must-the-episcopal-church-celebrate-black-history-month/)
In the church, a saint’s feast day is generally marked by the day the person entered in to glory, not the day they were born. The month of February in our Lesser Feasts and Fasts interestingly contains the feasts of several African American saints: The Consecration of Barbara Clementine Harris, First Woman Bishop in the Anglican Communion 1989 (2/11); Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818 (2/13); Frederick Douglass, Social Reformer, 1895 (2/20); and Anna Julia Haywood Cooper, Educator, 1964 (2/28).
While it has been a common practice in the Episcopal Church to celebrate the Feast of Absalom Jones for some time now, he still remains unknown to many.
Born into slavery, Absalom Jones dared to confront the system of oppression he inherited—pursuing education, securing freedom for his wife before himself, and becoming a tireless advocate for justice and dignity. In 1802, Bishop William White ordained Jones making him the first Black priest ordained in the Episcopal Church, just 26 years after the founding of the United States. (For a more detailed biography of Jones and the church he founded, The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, Philadelphia, see: https://www.aecst.org/ajones.htm)
This year, a Celebration for the Feast of Absalom Jones will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 139 Pearl St. Buffalo on Saturday, February 14 at 11AM. The guest preacher for the Eucharist will be The Rev. Canon Masud Ibn Syedullah, TSSF. Having grown up in a family with a Christian mother and a Muslim father, Fr. Syedullah has a keen awareness and sensitivity for racial and interfaith concerns and helping Christians understand their call to be in positive relationship with people of other faiths and to work to end the ignorance, fear, and hatred done in the name of religion that fuels so much violence and destruction in today’s world.
A special musical program featuring works by African American composers will include works by Adolphus Hailstork, David Hurd, Rosephanye Powell; and Lena McLin’s Eucharist of the Soul for the service music. Jaman Dunn-Danger, former Asst. Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic, professor at UB, and outstanding baritone will be our special musical guest. The offering will benefit the Absalom Jones Fund which helps support historically Black colleges and universities affiliated with The Episcopal Church since the 1800s.
The Absalom Jones celebration is being co-sponsored by St. Paul’s Cathedral; St. Philip’s Church; The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE), Bishop Holly Chapter; and the Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination. Street parking is available; there are also several public parking lots near St. Paul’s Cathedral, including a public parking garage under Main Place Mall, which is less than a block away.
We hope you will join us and invite others from your community to be part of this special day!
The Very Rev. Rebecca Barnes
Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo