Daniel A. Rudd's Ecclesiologically
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“A Cry for Justice:” Daniel A. Rudd’s Ecclesiologically-Centered Vision of Justice in the American Catholic Tribune Dissertation Submitted to The College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Dayton In partial fulfillment of the Requirement for The Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Theology Religious Studies Department By Gary Bruce Agee University of Dayton Dayton, Ohio August, 2008 APPROVED BY: _____________________________________________________ William L. Portier, Ph.D. Dissertation Director _____________________________________________________ Una M. Cadegan, Ph.D. Dissertation Reader _____________________________________________________ Sandra Yocum Mize, Ph.D. Dissertation Reader _____________________________________________________ William V. Trollinger, Ph.D. Dissertation Reader _____________________________________________________ Cecilia A. Moore, Ph.D. Dissertation Reader _____________________________________________ Sandra Yocum Mize, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Religious Studies ii ABSTRACT “A CRY FOR JUSTICE:” DANIEL A. RUDD’S ECCLESIOLOGICALLY- CENTERED VISION OF JUSTICE IN THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC TRIBUNE Name: Agee, Gary Bruce University of Dayton Advisor: William L. Portier In his seminal work, The History of Black Catholics in the United States, Dom Cyprian Davis O.S.B. attempted to set a broader framework within which “future historical research” at the local level might occur. This dissertation is one such academic endeavor. Building on the historical work of both Davis and Joseph H. Lackner S.M., this dissertation examines the nature of the “cry for justice” as it was communicated in the American Catholic Tribune , a weekly, nineteenth century, black newspaper printed by Daniel A. Rudd, an influential African American Catholic publisher, educator and civil rights leader. During the years of this newspaper’s publication, 1886-1897, Rudd promoted an ecclesiologically-centered vision of justice which presumed for the Catholic Church an essential role in the establishment of race justice in America. An examination of Rudd’s life and work reveals that though Rudd agitated for full equality for African Americans throughout his life, three distinct approaches can be discerned which roughly correspond to three periods in his life. During the Springfield Period, 1881-1886, Rudd promoted a “Fredrick Douglass-like” political/judicial activist approach. During the Cincinnati/Detroit Period, 1887-1897, he championed an ecclesiologically-centered approach. Finally, throughout the Southern Period, iii from 1900 onward, the Catholic laymen advocated a “Booker T. Washington-like” economic, self-help approach for achieving full equality for blacks. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to the company of individuals who supported me during the time I worked to complete this dissertation. The joy of completing this work, however, is somewhat tempered by the fact that it cannot be shared with my late father-in-law, “Buddy;” my son, “Jake” who would have been a senior in high school this year; and my little Aleena who would have been four. This having been said, I am cognizant of the fact that this dissertation could not have been completed had it not been for the inspiration and contribution of three generous and gracious individuals: first, my wife of twenty years whose friendship and love have proved invaluable in every aspect of my growth as a person; secondly, Tim, my brother, who financially supported my education, and in so doing brought this vocational aspiration within reach; finally, my dissertation director, William L. Portier, whose patience, expertise and at times toughness led to the development of a much improved manuscript. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………….... iii Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………………………....v Introduction .......................................................................................................................1 Rudd’s Biographical Timeline...............................................................................6 Chapter I. Daniel Arthur Rudd: Founder of the American Catholic Tribune …………….8 “An Energetic Young Republican:” The Springfield Period………….... 26 Toward an Ecclesiologically-Centered Vision of Justice in The American Catholic Tribune, The Cincinnati/Detroit Period………………………...29 Rudd Moves South, The Southern Period………………………………..40 American Catholic Tribune Timeline………………………………….....42 II. The American Catholic Tribune: An Instrument of Justice…………………44 The Demise of the ACT : A Counter Thesis……………………………...79 A More Compelling Set of Hypotheses for Rudd’s Move to Detroit and the Collapse of the ACT ………………………………………………………83 III. An Ecclesiological Vision of Justice in the American Catholic Tribune …...95 Converting African Americans…...…………………………………….110 The “New Civilization:” Rudd and the Romantic Apologetic for Catholicism……………………………………………………………. 118 IV. Finding Race Justice in the Catholic Church……………………………...127 Challenges to Rudd’s Ecclesiologically-Centered Vision of Justice…………..155 V. Applications of Rudd’s Vision of Justice Through 1887…………..............165 Race Pride: an Apology for African Americans………………………..167 Rudd’s Opposition to Race Segregation………………………………..175 Employment Opportunities……………………………………………..182 Southern Prisons………………………………………………………..186 Crop Mortgage System…………………………………………………188 vi VI. Applications of Rudd’s Vision of Justice from 1888-1894……………................191 Black Emigration from the South...………………………………….....192 Discrimination in Public Accommodations…………………………….197 Native Americans……………………………………………………….203 Lynching and Justice…………………………………………………....208 VII. Beyond Concerns of Race Justice………………………………….......................222 Women and Justice……………………………………………………..223 The School Question…………………………………………………... 235 Economic Justice……………………………………………………….247 Justice for Ireland………………………………………………………257 Temporal Authority of the Pope………………………………………..262 The Exploitation of People of Color: An International Focus………….265 Colored Catholic Congress Timeline………………………………….. 272 VIII. The Colored Catholic Congress Movement and its first Meeting…………….... 273 The First Colored Catholic Congress…………………………………...294 IX. The Congress Movement from 1889-1895………………………………………...304 The Second Colored Catholic Congress……………………………….. 305 The Third Congress……………………………………………………..324 Cincinnati’s All Race Convention……………………………………...330 The Fourth Colored Catholic Congress………………………………...335 The Fifth Colored Catholic Congress…………………………………..339 Epilogue ………………………………………………………………………………..347 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………….374 Bibliography …………………………………………………………………….……. 386 vii Introduction In 1969, David Spalding C.F.X. published a groundbreaking article the subject of which was the Colored Catholic Congresses of the nineteenth century. The article was entitled “The Negro Catholic Congresses, 1889-1894.” 1 In this important work, Spalding identified Daniel Arthur Rudd (1854-1933) 2 as the “chief architect” of this important lay initiative. Prior to the publication of this article, Daniel Rudd’s contribution to the work of the Catholic Church in America had been largely forgotten. Spalding’s article, however, inspired subsequent scholars including Dom Cyprian Davis O.S.B. who published his seminal work in 1990, The History of Black Catholics in United States. In 1991, this volume of history earned Davis the John Gilmary Shea Award from the American Catholic Historical Association. In recognition of this same author’s lifetime of groundbreaking scholarship, in 2006, Davis was awarded the Marianist Award from the University of Dayton. 3 In the preface of The History of Black Catholics in the United States, Davis has proposed that his volume of history was an attempt to “give the larger framework within which future historical research” at the local level could develop. As might be expected, Davis’ work has served as a catalyst for a number of scholarly articles, theses, dissertations and books. One important historical character brought to the stage in Davis’ 1 David is the religious name assumed by the author. He subsequently published under his birth name, Thomas Spalding. David Spalding, “The Negro Catholic Congresses, 1889-1894,” Catholic Historical Review 55 (1969): 337-57. 2 I have included the birth and death date of prominent individuals only when I could easily locate the information. Though I realize this to be an imperfect system, it will, I hope, give the reader some historical bearing for many of the individuals who appear in the text. 3 Cyprian Davis, The History of Black Catholics in the United States (New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1990). 1 work is Daniel Rudd. A careful reading of Davis’ work reveals that he recognized Rudd’s contribution to the Catholic Church as important, even if overlooked by previous historians. Moreover, Davis’ work on Rudd has inspired scholars to devote attention not only to Rudd but also to his newspaper, the American Catholic Tribune, (Hereafter “ACT”)a black Catholic weekly published from 1886-1897 . In particular, Joseph H. Lackner S.M. has to date published three articles examining Rudd and the ACT. Lackner’s first article, “Daniel Rudd, Editor of the American Catholic Tribune From Bardstown to Cincinnati,” was published in 1994. 4 A second article followed the next year, “The American Catholic Tribune and the Puzzle of its Finances.” 5 A third article, “The American Catholic Tribune, No Other Like It,” was published in 2007. 6 This dissertation will build on the work of