Bishop Joseph Francis was ordained as a priest in 1950 and earned his Master's Degree from Catholic University prior to his appointment as the Auxiliary Bishop of Newark, New Jersey. He was only the fourth African American Roman Catholic bishop in the country, and the first ordained in the Northeast. Born in 1923 in Lafayette, Louisiana, Bishop Francis would become a pioneering figure in the discussion of race and religion. His 1979 pastoral letter on racism, "Brothers and Sisters to Us," is well-recognized within the religious community. The founding of Verbum Dei High School in the Watts community of Los Angeles is also a significant accomplishment in Bishop Francis' career. He served there as principal for six years after its founding, expressing a dedication to serving the educational needs of minority communities. In addition, Bishop Francis dedicated much of his time to the Catholic Volunteer Network, serving as Episcopal Advisor and helping in the growth of the program to a national level. He had a profound impact in the spheres of catholic education and racial justice, and was well-respected and admired by his peers and those he served. Bishop Francis died of heart failure, at age 73, in 1997.