Today Catholics celebrate #AshWednesday (the start of Lent), so we have a special edition of #WomanCrushWednesday: the Venerable Henriette Delille! Ms. Delille was a native New Orleanian who founded the Roman Catholic order of nuns called Sisters of the Holy Family. Composed of free women of color, the order provided nursing care and a home for orphans, later establishing schools as well. They taught enslaved children when such education was prohibited by law. Henriette Delille lead a life of service, especially to slaves and the poor in New Orleans. She is the first US native-born African American person on the path to sainthood. For a fascinating history of the role of Black Catholic nuns in the Black freedom struggle check out @blackwomenradical's interview with Dr. Shannen Williams at the link in our bio! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackWomensHistory #WomensHistory #WomenInHistory #wcw #catholic #romancatholichistory #neworleanshistory #henriettedelille #drshannenwilliams #blacknuns https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DW483FQUK/?igshid=tv7qdedaex36

















