While you’ve probably heard of the nonviolent protest sit-ins where Black students challenged racial segregation at Woolworth lunch counters across the American South, most famously in Greensboro, NC and Jackson, MS, a lesser-known sit-in by what became known as the Tougaloo Nine occurred at the all-white
Written By Jessica Washington The United States has been officially celebrating Black History Month for nearly fifty years. But how did the celebration come to be? And (to answer the real question on everyone’s minds), why is it the shortest month of the year? Our story begins decades before the official recognition of Black History Month.
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Courtesy of the Education Writers Association Nearly a century since Black History Week was created, and more than 50 years since February was first recognized as Black History Month, many states and school districts are trying to suppress or control what the public learns about the history of Black people in America. At the same time, much
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Courtesy of The United Negro College Fund As the nation observes Black History Month 2024, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is celebrating and acknowledging the fact that Black History Month is every day because Black Lives Matter every day! UNCF is continuing to make history by serving as the largest scholarship provider for students of
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Written By Ron-rin Yu For a man prevented from receiving an education because he was Black, then denied entrance into medical school for what he believes was the same reason, Alexander Thomas Augusta made amazing strides for both education and medicine. Despite being born to free parents in Norfolk, Virginia, Augusta was not permitted to
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By Angela Johnson The late 1950s were a time of racial segregation, discrimination and inequality in America. But in the middle of all that despair, the men’s basketball team at Tennessee A&I University was making history. The Tigers were the first HBCU team to win a national championship and the first college team to secure three
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As we observe Black History Month, we want to focus on the importance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). With insights from prospective graduate student Talyia Griffin and RDEISE steering committee members Dr. Joseph Graves and Dr. Ivory Toldson, let’s learn more about these eminent institutions. As defined by the Higher Education Act of
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By Candace McDuffie Black History Month is fast approaching. Although here at The Root we celebrate Black excellence 365 days a year, the origins of the historic month should also be acknowledged. For those who are unsure how it began, Black History Month initially began as a 7-day celebration in 1926. That year, the Association for the Study of
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By Leslie D.W. Jones As we move towards 2022 many African-American families are celebrating Kwanzaa, a holiday that has a connection to the continent of Africa, but is distinctly American. The seven principles of Kwanzaa tie directly into the nearly 200 year history and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Day One, December 26:
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Courtesy of Delaware State University Prior to the start of the fall 2023 semester, Delaware State University was already the only institution of higher education in the First State to offer associate, bachelor and master’s degree programs in the social work discipline. “Social Work is the most versatile degree that you can get,” said Dr. Ezekiel
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By Emily Olson Six decades ago, an estimated 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the nation’s capital. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech that day, on August 28, 1963, has since emerged as a paramount symbol of the push for racial
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