Celebrating Black History Month

By: France-Elvie Banda
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
In 2019, The New York Times launched the 1619 Project, which marked the 400th anniversary of American Chattel Slavery and marked the inextricable contribution of African American labor to the formation and success story of The United States of America. This annual celebration allows us to honor the integral contributions Black Americans have made in shaping the U.S. and pushing the nation toward equity through informal and formal labor. This year’s Black History Month theme is “African Americans and Labor,” honoring the invaluable contributions of African Americans to the American workforce. 

Black Labor in the Scientific Community
Despite graduating from Harvard Medical School, William Hinton, PhD, a bacteriologist who originally wanted to become a surgeon, was denied entry to medical internships at Boston hospitals due to his race. Hinton’s commitment to scientific research led him to an alternate route in pathology labs where he later developed a diagnostic test for syphilis infection, known as the Hinton Test. Hinton went on to become the first Black professor at Harvard and established a women’s only laboratory technician school.

The contributions of Black researchers to the scientific workforce have led to revolutionary scientific advancements from Gladys Mae West, PhD, development of the GPS to Hadiyah-Nicole Green, PhD, innovative laser therapies for cancer treatment. Yet, the fight continues for many Black scientists and researchers today, who still struggle to advance their careers amidst historical institutional discrimination. Organizations like Black In Neuro and Black Microbiologists Association (BlackInMicro) continue the work of elevating the contributions of Black researchers.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture's (NMAAHC) toolkit provides resources to celebrate Black History Month all year long. Visit the NMAAHC to learn more about Black history throughout American history and find ways to celebrate Black History Month through various events and programs.