Pope Leo XIV’s link to Haiti is part of a broader American story of race, citizenship and migration

Initial coverage of Pope Leo XIV has focused on his Chicago upbringing, as well as his time in Peru where he served as a missionary and later as a bishop. Genealogist Jari Honor broke the news of the pope’s ancestors’ connection to New Orleans’ Creole of color community. Through his research, Honor found official documents indicating that Leo’s maternal grandfather, Joseph Norval Martinez, was born in Haiti.

The story of Leo’s Creole lineage in Louisiana, along with the link to Haiti, has sparked interest among commentators. Leo’s ancestors likely traveled between Haiti and New Orleans before eventually settling in Chicago, reflecting broader themes of race, citizenship, and migration in American history.

The term “Creole of color” emerged in the 19th century to describe descendants of free people of color in Louisiana, who formed a distinct community with its own complexities and challenges. The Martinez family, which included Leo’s ancestors, was part of this community and faced increasing legal restrictions and repression in the pre-Civil War era.

Amid worsening conditions for people of color in the U.S., the Martinez family likely emigrated to Haiti in the 1860s, attracted by the nation’s abolition of slavery and promises of freedom and equality. They returned to New Orleans in 1866, possibly influenced by Reconstruction efforts in Louisiana. The family’s experiences reflect the broader struggles and achievements of free people of color in post-Civil War America.

Joseph Norval Martinez and his family later migrated to Chicago during the Great Migration, joining millions of Black Americans moving North and West to escape segregation and seek better opportunities. Martinez’s census records illustrate the complexities of racial identity in America, with shifting descriptors reflecting the social and political context of the time.

The story of the Martinez family is a quintessentially American tale, encompassing themes of migration, identity, and resilience in the face of adversity.