St. Peter Claver emerged and blossomed from what was for nearly seventy years a parish known as St. Ann's. The stately church building, that still stands today, was built in 1852, at an important time of development in New Orleans history. St. Peter Claver played an important part in the growth of the Treme area as the city spread.

The church property, which included a school rectory and the church building was purchased by the Josephite Fathers in 1920 to serve the African-American population in the area. The new church was dedicated to St. Peter Claver, the saint who spent a lifetime working for the good of the African-American.

St. Peter Claver Church and School maintains its position as a beacon of hope in this inner-city community that many have written off as lost to crime and poverty. The parish boasts more than 2400 registered families making it the largest African-American Catholic Church in the state of Louisiana. With a dedicated staff, a committed pastor, and a devoted and strong faith-filled community, St. Peter Claver intends to continue its good work well into the third millennium.