Pope Leo XIV made history as the first U.S.-born pontiff. It was recently revealed that he has Louisiana Creole ancestry.

The way the news of the new pope’s heritage was made public speaks to the complexity of discussions of race in the U.S.

I share an ancestral connection with Pope Leo XIV. What does that story say about race, religion, and ancestry in America?

St. Landry Parish Archivist Larry Caillier Jr. has researched the Pope's family lineage, tracing it back to St. Landry Parish ...

Pope Leo XIV's ancestry isn't necessarily unique. It's quintessentially American, illustrated by his grandfather's illicit ...

Early coverage of Pope Leo XIV has explored the first American pontiff’s Chicago upbringing, as well as the many years he ...

There’s no record the new pope ever identified as Black, and he may never have researched his family’s roots in New Orleans.