Did you know that St. Benedict the Moor Church was once the intellectual center of New York’s Black community? This wasn’t just a place of worship. It was a hub of vibrant discussion attracting luminaries like Hubert Harrison and Arturo Schomburg.
St. Benedict the Moor Church stands here in Hell’s Kitchen. Its history is a testament to the Black Catholic experience in New York City. The church’s story began in 1883. Father Thomas Farrell bequeathed 5000 dollars to establish a Black Catholic mission. He recognized the neglect of the Black community. He wanted to make amends. The will stated that money would go to a Protestant orphanage if the Catholic Church couldn’t use the funds for this purpose.
St. Benedict the Moor became the first Black parish north of the Mason-Dixon line. Imagine the significance of that. In 1892 the parish first took over the Third Universalist Church. It was on Bleecker Street. Many African Americans lived in southern Manhattan back then. The church renamed that building for its parish.
Augustus Tolton the first openly Black Catholic priest celebrated his first Mass in America here in 1886. Later William Augustine Williams became the parish sacristan. He was the first openly Black Catholic seminarian.
As the Black population moved north the church followed. In 1898 St. Benedict the Moor Church moved here to West 53rd Street. It took over the former Second German Church of the Evangelical Association. By the 1920s many parishioners had moved to Harlem. Harlem became the center of African-American life.
For decades St. Benedict the Moor served as a vital institution. Black Catholics came from all over the city. The church hosted discussion groups or lyceums. These gatherings buzzed with intellectual energy.
In 1933 the church celebrated its golden jubilee. The New York Times described a colorful scene. Dignitaries marched to the newly decorated church. They wore vestments of gold white and crimson.
The church later shifted. In 1953 Spanish friars of the Third Order of Saint Francis began staffing the church. It was rededicated in 1954. Over time the parish declined. It ceased operating as a worship site in 2007. It was deconsecrated in 2017.
Yet St. Benedict the Moor’s legacy endures. It was sold to a developer in 2023. The building itself must remain intact for at least 20 years. It can be repurposed for other uses. It can only be used for non-profane things.
The Italianate-style red brick building dates back to 1869. It stands as a reminder of the past. A past where this church served as a beacon of hope. It was a spiritual home. It was a place of intellectual exchange for New York’s Black community.