06/19/2026
From the Archives Friday📔
As we celebrate Juneteenth and reflect on the ongoing work of racial justice, we look back at the ministry of Sr. Colleen Gallagher, OP, and the history of Annunciation School in Harlem.
Before serving in healthcare ministry and later leading peace and justice efforts in the Diocese of Columbus, Sr. Colleen taught at Annunciation School in Harlem during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. She recalls attending the funeral of Malcolm X and witnessing firsthand a pivotal period in our nation's struggle for racial equality.
The Dominican connection to Annunciation School stretches back even further. In 1922, the Columbus Dominican Sisters accepted a mission to teach at the Harlem school. By 1953, Annunciation had become a fully integrated, coeducational school, and by the 1960s it served the diverse communities of Black Harlem and Spanish Harlem.
As racial justice emerged as an urgent concern, Mother Francis deSales encouraged Sisters to participate in marches and demonstrations, while reminding them that every Sister had a responsibility to foster understanding and respect among people of all races and backgrounds. She wrote that Sisters must "guide her students to knowledge and understanding of all races and colors in order to develop right attitudes."(Place of Springs pg. 356)
Sr. Colleen carried that commitment throughout her ministry. As chairperson of the Diocesan Commission on Justice and Peace in the 1980s, she helped advance the Church's work for peace, human dignity, and social justice.
This Juneteenth, we honor Sr. Colleen's witness and the legacy of the Sisters who taught at Annunciation School—living examples of our enduring commitment to foster and create cultures of inclusion, where every person's dignity is recognized, celebrated, and protected.
