St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church is located on Greenmount Avenue and 22nd Street. It is located in the heart of Baltimore.
This beautiful cathedral church is delightfully honoring it's strong African American Heritage.
St. Ann's has proudly stood for over 140 years. It was constructed through the generosity of Captain William Kennedy who was the commander of the famous Baltimore ship, "The Wander." During a merciless storm Captain William pledged that if the anchor of his ship held, he would construct a church as.a testament of his gratitude. The anchor held and so did his vow. The church was constructed in 1874.
Rose Window
The picture below shows how St. Ann's is honoring diversity by highlighting the influential Catholics of Baltimore.
This painting below artistically protrays the sacrifice of Christ.
The photo below displays the heritage of African Americans within the Roman Catholic faith.
The photo below is of the mural adjacent to St. Ann's church. It honors and highlights the importance of Black families in Maryland and in our world today.
On Sunday, February 27, 2022 the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court St. Francis Xavier #2257 presented in collaboration with other catholics in Baltimore, the "Unsung Black Catholic Woman Award." This award highly honors African American women within its diverse Roman Catholic Communities.
Additional Historical Information
In 1925 the original anchor of St. Ann's was restored and placed on the stone cradle beside the cornerstone where it remains today. (It can be seen outside of the church in the photo at the top near the signage to the right.)
St. Ann's Cathedral church has great historical, cultural, and architectural significance which is well-documented in the church archives. St. Ann's continues today to be a neighborhood landmark.
Each week it offers up lively music that joyfully celebrates their rich African American heritage and deep roots. This community church continues to reaffirm its mission to the East Baltimore community. For the past 140 years St. Ann's of Baltimore has continued it's mission of excellence in education and has continue to hold steady as the anchor that held Captain Kennedy's ship decades ago.
This historical treasure is vital to the health and well-being of the city of Baltimore. Churches like this are the heartbeat and the soul of the city of Baltimore, state of Maryland, and our Nation. The Robinson and Thomas family of Baltimore as well as many other African American families have had the unique privilege of being apart of this amazing journey. Through the life work of Alberta Thomas and Mary Joe Robinson of 22nd Street for over 60 years. They were a mother-daughter dual team that played a vital role in supporting many of the African American initiatives as vital members of St. Ann's Women Axillary group. These are just a few of the many outstanding women who continue to work diligently today to support the communities they live within.
I highly recommend that you take time to celebrate with the community of St. Ann's and help them continue the mission of saving and preserving the history and the culture of African Americans in Baltimore. You won't regret it.
Thank you for taking the time to celebrate the hard work of good folks in our world and for enjoying my photographs. Be Blessed!
from the desk of Esther Kamoche Robinson
Sources
Oral testimonies of the seniors within the St. Ann's and Baltimore communities.
Comments