Repelled by American racism, thousands of free people of color bounced between New Orleans and Haiti in the 19th century.

The pope's Creole roots in New Orleans are a source of pride among the city's Black Catholics. But the revelation also recalls a painful chapter in the city's past. “In New Orleans, everyone treats visitors as family.

"He is an American, but he's an American who has a really international experience," said an assistant professor at St. Louis University.

Pope Leo XIV's family tree reflects America's complex racial history, according to records obtained by ABC News.

"I was in at least two or three philosophy classes with him, and from that experience I can, and I’m going to betray my Philadelphia roots and become a New Englander, I can tell you he is wicked smart!

All four of Pope Leo XIV ... and American bigotry.” As a Catholic with Creole heritage who grew up near the neighborhood where the pope’s grandparents lived, Morial said he has contradictory feelings. While he’s proud of the pope’s connection ...

In a groundbreaking moment for the Catholic Church, Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old American missionary and bishop, has been elected as the new pope. He is the first American ever to lead the Catholic Church in its 2,