Burgess then earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1934, of which he was one of the first black graduates.

[3] In 1962, Burgess was elected on the first ballot[4] as a suffragan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, becoming the first African American to serve the Episcopal Church as spiritual leader in a predominantly white diocese.

[5] When Burgess was installed as diocesan bishop in 1970, he became the first African American to head an Episcopal diocese.

Burgess was known for his efforts to revitalize urban ministry, confront racism in public schools, support prison reform, build bridges between black and white communities, and improve the efficiency of the diocese.

He was an important ecumenical leader in maintaining peace during the Boston school desegregation crisis.