A Compelling Story of Black History: Daniel Arthur Rudd, Activist, Journalist, Trailblazer

“We think we will live long enough to see a Black man president of the republic."—Daniel Arthur Rudd, February 1888

The story of Daniel A. Rudd (1854-1933), a black Catholic publisher, civil rights leader, and activist, needs to be told. The reason few people know his name might be because he was a double minority—both black and catholic. 

Daniel Rudd was born enslaved in Bardstown, Kentucky, in 1854. His owners, Charles and Matilda Haydon, were influential Catholics in town. Due to his advanced knowledge, it is speculated that Rudd was permitted some type of tutoring as a child. The Jesuits, who worked to bring emancipated Blacks into the church at Bardstown after the Civil War, may have taken an interest in this gifted young man. 

Kentucky Black Trailblazers: Daniel Arthur Rudd. Located at the AAHM in Bardstown, KY.

After Emancipation, Rudd moved to Springfield, Ohio, to live with his brother. There, he finished high school training and went to work for the Springfield Review. After working as a reporter and editor, he founded the Ohio State Tribune. Over time, Rudd’s faith guided him toward the church for the answer to the “negro question.”

In 1866, he and local physician James T. Whitson founded the American Catholic Tribune, a National Black Catholic newspaper publication. The editorial position of the paper was unique among Black publications. Rudd declared that the Catholic Church was the “only place on this continent where rich and poor, black and white, must drop prejudice at the threshold and go hand in hand to the altar.” 

Since Rudd was a strong believer in Black-agency, he organized the “Colored Catholics Congress Movement.” This organization brought together both multi-racial and multi-cultural groups of Catholics to work on issues to include Blacks and Native Americans in a meaningful way. 

Rudd remained loyal to the Catholic Church until his death in 1933. He was a gifted entrepreneur, writer, educator, activist, and churchman. But perhaps the most inspiring part of his legacy is his prophetic cry for justice. 

Today, Daniel Rudd's story is told as a part of the immersive, statewide Kentucky Black Trailblazers exhibit. Patrons can be visit this piece of trailblazers at the African American Heritage Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky.