This session will introduce CROSS (Catholic Religious Organizations Studying Slavery). Established in 2021 by representatives of diocesan and religious archives the mission of CROSS is to promote open and honest access to the historical record to achieve a more comprehensive and truthful telling of enslavement within the Catholic Church in the United States.
CROSS aims to help Catholic organizations and those responsible for Catholic archives by providing guidelines on communication development, access policies, research methodology and working with descendants to foster reconciliation. The session will have three parts over the course of 90 minutes. Dr. Emilie Leumas will discuss her research efforts to broaden the narrative on the Catholic Church’s participation in slavery. She will reveal various sources found within Catholic archives that contain information about enslaved people and communities. Eric Fair will describe how the Archdiocese of St. Louis is acknowledging its past by exploring its involvement with slavery and the different ways this history is being presented to its community and the wider public. Dr. Stephanie Jacobe will introduce the CROSS: Best Practices Guide, which serves as a model for any organization hoping to identify records of the enslaved, promote open access, and work with leadership to build community support. The session will finish with audience discussion.
