Black History Month: Honoring Local Pioneers

Editor's Note: This introduction and biographical information were written and compiled by Peggy Harris, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Schol District's Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

Black History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. In promoting the study and acknowledgement of the contributions of people of African descent, Carter observed, “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” Thus, Carter saw a tremendous urgency to correct history where the story of blacks had been distorted or  misrepresented, and bring history to light, where contributions and achievement had been overlooked or omitted.

Usually, when people think about Black History, they think about struggles and achievements made long ago, like the work of a Sojourner Truth or Dr. Charles Drew. Or, they point to the seemingly impossible achievements such as the election of an African-American president.

But what is often overlooked and underappreciated, are the less chronicled achievements of black people that happen all around us. Day by day, in so many ways, doors are being opened, glass ceilings shattered and barriers torn down so that African-Americans can participate more fully in the fabric of American life. While we honor and thank each of the famous individuals who are always celebrated during this time, we must never underestimate the contribution to black progress made by those uncelebrated individuals who with dignity and courage step up to integrate a setting and become the first or only black in a sea of others.

As we as a district celebrate Black History Month, we are pleased to celebrate the legacy of courage, dignity, and service of a few of the many African-Americans who have blazed trails at Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.