Biography · Biography & Culture
Joseph Lawson Howze
1923–2019
United States
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Biography
Joseph Lawson Edward Howze (born Lawson Edward Howze; August 30, 1923 – January 9, 2019) was an American Catholic prelate who served as the first Bishop of Biloxi from 1977 to 2001. He was the first openly Black Catholic ordinary of a U.S. Catholic diocese. Howze previously served as auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson from 1972 to 1977.
Sources & collection details
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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13