‘A child of God like everyone else’ makes history in the Episcopal Diocese
Most Rev. Michael Curry, the first African-American presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, was chief consecrator on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at Hope Church, for the Rt. Rev. Phoebe A. Roaf's consecration service. Roaf is the Fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee. (Lisa Buser/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Special to The Daily Memphian
David Waters
David Waters is Distinguished Journalist in Residence and assistant director of the Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis.
Phoebe Roaf didn't see a woman wearing a clergy collar until she was in her 20s, and didn't wear one herself until she was 41. On Saturday, she became the first female and African-American to serve as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee.
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