On March 10, 1810, John McCloskey was born in Brooklyn, New York. He later became the first American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. As Archbishop of New York, McCloskey oversaw a period of rapid Catholic growth driven by immigration. His elevation to cardinal signaled the Vatican’s recognition of the importance of the American church. It also reflected the changing religious landscape of the United States, where Catholicism was growing despite earlier prejudice. McCloskey’s career helped integrate Catholic institutions more firmly into American civic life.
