On This Day

Eugene A. Marino installed as 1st African American Catholic archbishop, in Atlanta, Georgia

Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990.

Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1974 to 1988. He was the first African-American Catholic archbishop in history and the first African-American bishop in Washington. Marino was a member of the Josephites.

Marino resigned as archbishop of Atlanta in 1990, under accusations of having a sexual relationship with a female lay minister. He later worked as a chaplain and counselor in New York until his death in 2000.

Historical Significance

Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990.

Events Before

  1. 60 bodies are recovered from the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico

    60 bodies are recovered from the Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico

  2. Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

    Aretha Louise Franklin ( ə-REE-thə; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist.

  3. Astronomers at the University of California witness the first observation of the birth of a galaxy

    Astronomers at the University of California witness the first observation of the birth of a galaxy

  4. Opera impresario Sir Rudolf Bing (85) weds Carroll Douglass (45); annulled in September, 1989

    Opera impresario Sir Rudolf Bing (85) weds Carroll Douglass (45); annulled in September, 1989

  5. Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a press conference on live national television, sparki

    Pennsylvania politician R. Budd Dwyer shoots and kills himself at a press conference on live national television, sparking debate about the boundaries of journalism

Events After

  1. Fall of the Berlin Wall

    The Berlin Wall falls as East Germany opens its borders, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the beginning of German reunification.

  2. Year of the Young Reader begins

    Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. Directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S.

  3. British comedy sketch series "A Bit of Fry and Laurie", starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, debuts on BBC1

    A Bit of Fry & Laurie is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, broadcast on both BBC1 and BBC2 between…

  4. Poland's communist government begins "Round Table" talks with the Solidarity trade union and its leader Lech Wałęsa in a

    Poland's communist government begins "Round Table" talks with the Solidarity trade union and its leader Lech Wałęsa in an attempt to ease growing social unrest

  5. NBA power forward Charles Barkley (26) weds legal aide Maureen Blumhardt in Elkton, Maryland

    NBA power forward Charles Barkley (26) weds legal aide Maureen Blumhardt in Elkton, Maryland

More from the 1980s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 5, 1988?
Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1974 to 1988. He was the first African-American Catholic archbishop in history and the first African-American bishop in Washington.
Why is Eugene A. Marino installed as 1st African American Catholic archbishop, in At... significant?
Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (May 29, 1934 – November 12, 2000) was an American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1988 until 1990.

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