Black Catholic Messenger has the story, written by Nate Tinner-Williams. Pope Leo XIV (Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost) has black (African) ancestry from his maternal grandparents.
“Multiple genealogists, including the Louisiana Creole expert Jari Honora, traced Prevost’s ancestry to the Black community of New Orleans.”
“New Orleans genealogist Jari Honora dropped the bombshell on Thursday after white smoke rose in St. Peter’s Square, calling attention to census data that indicates the new Bishop of Rome descends maternally from African-descent Louisiana Creoles.”
“According to the U.S. Census, Prevost’s mother, the late Mildred Martinez, was the mixed-race daughter of Black property owners, the Haitian-born Joseph Martinez and New Orleans native Louise Baquié, a Creole.”
More in this OSV article, published subsequent to Nate’s report: New pope’s Black, Creole roots illuminate rich multiracial history of US.
This reporting looks very solid to me. The new Pope Leo XIV has black African ancestry. In Church history, three previous Popes were from the continent of Africa. But it is not known if they were black or native Africans, since the Roman empire at the time stretched into Africa. So they could have been Roman or other ancestry, as the empire included many ethnicities.
RLCJ
the reproach of Christ 
My thoughts and prayers are with Pope Leo XIV. Regardless of what the pundits say, he being the spiritual leader of the Universal Church will never let the church go astray.
I hope he will not enter the realm of politics often and curtails his opinions in the political theater. I do want the pope to reach the faithful on the absurdity of the law passed by the state of Washington where they attempt to break the seal of the confessional..
Ron, it seems to me that Pope Leo XIV will be a great “junction” of the last three pontificates. Very charismatic like John Paul II, firm and unambiguous doctrine of Benedict XVI and the welcoming pastoralism of Francis. What are your impressions?
So far, it seems he was chosen as a compromise candidate, not as liberal as Francis, but associated with him; not as conservative as Cardinal Sarah et alia; doctrinal and pastoral.
I’m quite interested in this new pope. His name alone is very exciting. When he appeared at the balcony to greet the crowds below, for me it was like watching an old pope from those historic black and white films: he appeared that natural. Will he be the Angelic Pastor? The time has advanced and those old prophecies will be fulfilled. Will they be fulfilled in the very near future. Let’s watch it happen! Viva Il Papa!
Pope Leo XIV first Homily was insightful on his Papacy