UBE Sunday, September 8, 2024

On Sunday, September 8, the Union of Black Episcopalians celebrates the life and legacy of our notable saint, the Reverend Alexander Crummell, on his official feast day. Crummell was the personification of the will to overcome during the 19th century, successfully confronting and prevailing over barriers erected because of his race. According to A Great Cloud of Witnesses, “Crummell’s ministry spanned more than half a century and three continents. Everywhere, at all times, he labored to prepare black people and to build institutions that would serve them and provide scope for the exercise of their gifts in leadership and creativity. His faith in God, his perseverance in spite of repeated discouragement, his perception that the Church transcended the racism and limited vision of its leaders, and his unfailing belief in the goodness and greatness of black people are the legacy of this African American pioneer. He died in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 1898.”
UBE designates September 8, 2024, as UBE Sunday to commemorate the racial justice ministry of the Union which was an outgrowth of Father Crummell’s advocacy.