Francis J. Beckwith's blog offers as a contribution to Black History Week some notes on the decision and effortsof Archbishop Rummel of New Orleans to desegregate Catholic schools and on his excommunication of the leaders of public Catholicopposition to his decision. (They would appeal from the archbishop to the pope but received no satisfaction from Rome.) The archbishop clearly believed that this was a case in whichit wasimportant that Catholics show a united front.