Venerable Father Augustus Tolton

1854-1897

Artwork courtesy of the National Black Catholic Congress

Life and Witness to Racial Justice:

Born enslaved in Missouri in 1854, Augustus Tolton’s life began under the brutal weight of racial injustice. His mother, Martha Jane, risked everything to escape with her children across the Mississippi River—fleeing bondage under gunfire to reach freedom in Quincy, Illinois.

In Quincy, young Augustus was drawn to the faith and compassion of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and the local priests who recognized his spiritual gifts and leadership potential. Yet despite their support, Tolton faced the harsh reality of institutional racism: no seminary in the United States would accept a Black candidate for the priesthood. His vocation was undeniable, but the path was blocked by the color line.

Tolton was sent to Rome to study for the priesthood due to the exclusion he faced at home. In 1886, he was ordained and sent back to the United States.

Upon his return, Father Tolton endured discrimination from fellow clergy and Church leadership. Yet he refused to be silenced or sidelined, instead leaning on God’s call to serve.

Eventually, Father Tolton was invited to Chicago, where he founded St. Monica’s Parish—a spiritual refuge for Black Catholics on the South Side. Though he died before the church building was completed, his legacy lives on as a witness to racial justice, reconciliation, and holiness.

Father Tolton’s life is a witness to the Church to reckon with its past and to build a future rooted in justice, equity, and the Gospel truth that all people are made in the image of God.