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CNN: Pope Leo XIV has Creole Lineage, New Orleans Genealogist Says

May 9, 2025

Jari C. Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, shared his research and records with CNN.

Martinez census 1900
Pope Leo’s maternal grandparents, Joseph and Louise Martinez, are listed as Black in the 1900 Census. HNOC / Jari Honora
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“The family were free people of color prior to the Civil War. When they moved to Chicago between 1910 and 1912, they ‘passed’ into the White world. And that’s OK. I think that’s important to bring out that this is not accusatory . . . . It’s not meant to be a sort of ‘I got you’ moment. This is taking a long view of history and showing you things that people did hold on to, and their faith is one of them.”

Jari C. Honora, HNOC family historian

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More on Pope Leo XIV from HNOC

First Draft

From the French Quarter to the Vatican

Shortly after Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first American pope, HNOC’s Jari C. Honora uncovered a surprising New Orleans connection, revealing the pontiff’s maternal grandparents to be Creoles of color from the Seventh Ward. 

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A boy in white lay garments leads a church procession down the street, followed by other boys in white lay garments wearing crucifixes and holding chalices.
Research

Genealogy Resources

Our experts at the Williams Research Center are available to help you dive into your family history.

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People reading and working at tables in a spacious, well-lit library with high ceilings. Theres a mezzanine level with bookshelves and more seating. Large windows, elegant chandeliers, and a patterned carpet add to the classic ambiance.

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First Draft

What’s the Difference Between Cajun and Creole—Or Is There One?

The answers are tied up in race, class, language, and, of course, history.

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First Draft

Identity Theft

Nearly 35 years ago, a heedless conservator altered a rare portrait of a free woman of color. Now, it has been restored and is on view again—and this time, HNOC is telling the story. 

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Ursuline Communion Wafer Iron

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Ursuline Music Manuscript

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Michael P. Smith Collection

Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.

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Related News

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A boy in white lay garments leads a church procession down the street, followed by other boys in white lay garments wearing crucifixes and holding chalices.
HNOC in the News

NPR: Why Black Catholics in New Orleans Feel a Special Connection to Pope Leo XIV

June 5, 2025
HNOC family historian Jari Honora spoke with “All Things Considered” about the new pope’s Creole ancestry and what it means for residents of the 7th Ward.
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A screen capture of HNOC historian Jari Honora appearing on CBS Mornings.
HNOC in the News

CBS Mornings: What to Know about Pope Leo XIV’s Ancestry

May 27, 2025
It was recently revealed that new pope has Louisiana Creole ancestry. Jari Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, made the discovery and joined “CBS Mornings Plus” to explain.
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HNOC, OperaCreole, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presented Musical Louisiana 2025 at St. Louis Cathedral.
HNOC in the News

Gambit: Musical Louisiana Concert Highlights Works of Underrecognized Creole Composers

March 2, 2026
Get an in-depth preview of HNOC’s upcoming “Echoes of Innovation” concert (March 4), with commentary from museum staff and community partners.
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Cover of Afro-Creole Poetry: In French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War-Era Newspapers. Features a circular design on a background of faded text. Includes A Bilingual Edition and contributors Clint Bruce and Angel Adams Parham.

Afro-Creole Poetry in French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War–Era Newspapers

translated and introduced by Clint Bruce
with a foreword by Angel Adams Parham

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Book cover of Call Me Larry by Larry Bagneris and Ryan Gomez. Features a black and white photo of a man in a suit, framed by a rainbow-colored border against a black background. Subtitled A Creole Mans Triumph over Racism and Homophobia.

Call Me Larry: A Creole Man’s Triumph over Racism and Homophobia

by Larry Bagneris

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