HNOC in the News

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.

Pope Leo’s maternal grandparents, Joseph and Louise Martinez, are listed as Black in the 1900 Census. HNOC / Jari Honora

“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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Fortier Embroidery Sampler

A 200-year-old piece of needlework by a young student at the Ursuline Convent sheds light on the lives of Catholic Creole girls in early 19th-century Louisiana.

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A nun stands outside a building with three large arched windows. She is facing the windows, holding a book. The building is white with some visible plants and a tree on the right. The scene has a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.

Mother St. Croix Photographs of Ursuline Convent

The ebullient nun documented her cloisters, sisters, and pupils with care and skill. In doing so she became the earliest known woman to photographically record daily life in New Orleans

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Ursuline Music Manuscript

This nearly-300-year-old songbook is the oldest known music manuscript in Louisiana history.

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HNOC in the News

WWL Radio: Daniel Hammer Discusses Pope Leo XIV and Upcoming Exhibitions

June 2, 2025

HNOC’s president and CEO went on the Newell Normand Show to talk about the organization’s role in discovering the ancestry of the new pope and much more.

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.