Holy Family Catholic Church (01-05)

Historical narrative

This extant Mitchellville church on Woodmore Road was built in 1890 by its parishioners to serve the local black Catholic population. Legend has it that the beautiful dark wood ceiling came from the hull of a disassembled slave ship. When completed, worshipers would travel for hundreds of miles to attend. In the mid-1900s, black parishioners would enter through the doors to the right and sit in the right side rows of benches; white parishioners would enter the doors to the left and sit in the left side benches.

Watercolor

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved