This month, we recognize Black History Month – a celebration of the immense influence Black and African American people have had on our nation’s culture and history. While we do educate our students on Black Americans’ achievements beyond just the month of February, this is a time to really honor the incredible Black leaders that have shaped our country – activist icons like Rosa Parks and John Lewis. Artistic visionaries like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Nina Simone. Brilliant innovators like Mary Van Brittan Brown and Garrett Morgan (who helped invent the home security system and the three-light traffic signal, respectively).

If you’re curious about the beginnings of Black History Month, here is a short article from NPR on its history, dating back to the 1910s: https://www.npr.org/2022/02/01/1075623826/why-is-february-black-history-month