February 14, 2023

Black History Month 2023

In the United States, the month of February is commemorated as Black History Month. It is a time to celebrate the heritage, history, and achievements of Black US Americans; subjects which are often neglected throughout the rest of the year. Unfortunately, the history of the US has largely been whitewashed and sanitized. The historical oppression and discrimination faced by Black US Americans is often minimized or erased—as are Black contributions to all areas of society. It is impossible to grapple with the systemic racism and anti-blackness in the US without understanding the real history of how we got here.

Black History Month was officially recognized by the US federal government in 1976, fifty years after Carter G. Woodson proposed “Negro History Week” to encourage a more honest and expansive teaching of US history. Unfortunately, many people and institutions see Black History Month as the one time of year to pay attention to Black people. Instead of tokenizing Black historical figures—or the Black people you know—by only recognizing their work for one month out of the year, consider taking this month to educate yourself on the rich and complex history, and the work that is currently being done, so that you can incorporate it into your research, curriculum, personal life, and community engagement all year round.

The UW Combined Fund Drive has put together a list of engagement and learning opportunities and a list of Black-owned businesses to support all year long. The Whole U has compiled information on ways to celebrate Black History Month at UW.

For some good listening this month, check out this list of episodes from the Ologies podcast featuring Black scientists. Other podcasts that are well worth a listen include The Stoop and FANTI.

There is a wealth of information out there, including actions you can take to make a more antiracist lab environment and to support Black scientists and faculty.