Black History Month is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the history, accomplishments, and sacrifices of African Americans, and their central role in shaping our nation and history.
This month, ‘Coders are celebrating Black Americans through
exploration and education of the rich cultural heritage, triumphs, legacies, and adversities that are an indelible part of our country’s history every other day of the year beyond February.
We had the honor of hosting The Rise Journey’s Stephanie Nicholas as she spoke on The Black Panther Party: A Contested Legacy. As we learned more about the truth of what The Black Panther Party stood for, we also saw how their legacy plays out daily within the US as we think about various social missions like free lunch programs and conversations about universal healthcare. The Black Panther Party at its core was a social mission, not a terrorist organization as assumed by the US Government at its time of existence and we are determined to continue our learning beyond the history books.
The Black Panther Party is only the tip of the iceberg with regards to Black History and we plan to continue our education beyond the month of February. Through our company-wide dialogue events and safe-space roundtables, we are continuing the hard work of carving out the most inclusive space possible. We know as a company we still have a lot to learn and want to share our journey with you!
ENGAGE
February Exploration
WATCH
Rise Up, Sing Out
- Disney+
“A new children’s series of animated, musical shorts with. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of the Grammy-winning musical group The Roots… to showcase an inspiring, empowering, and optimistic message about race, culture, community and
Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History
- Learning for Justice
"Go beyond trauma and struggle to examine the liberation, civic engagement, creativity and intersecting identities of Black people during Black History Month."
Owned: A Tale of Two Americas
- PBS
“Is the “American Dream” of homeownership a false promise? While the government’s postwar housing policy created the world's largest middle class, it also set America on two divergent paths - one of perceived wealth and the other of systematically defunded, segregated communities.”
Fannie Lou Hamer’s America
- PBS
“Fannie Lou Hamer’s America is a portrait of a civil rights activist and the injustices in America that made her work essential... Fannie Lou Hamer’s America explores and celebrates the lesser-known life of one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders.
READ
Here’s the story behind Black History Month - and why it’s celebrated in February
- NPR
Black History Themes: 2022 Theme - Black Health and Wellness
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History
The Vanishing Half
- Brit Bennett
“From The New York Times-bestselling author of The Mothers, a stunning new novel about twin sisters, inseparable as children, who ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds."
The Warmth of Other Suns
- By Isabel Wilkerson
“The epic story of America’s great migration. The 6 million-strong mass movement immigration of Black Americans out of the feudal South. The story told through the lives of three unique people, capturing each of their treacherous journeys to new cities, their hardships, and the new lives they made for themselves.”
LISTEN
Historically Black
- Podcast, American Public Media
“Objects hold history.. As part of The Washington Post’s coverage of the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture, people submitted dozens of objects that make up their own lived experiences of black history, creating a “people’s museum” of personal objects, family photos and more. This podcast brings those objects and their stories to life through interviews, archival sound, and music.”
The ‘double-edge sword’ of being a Black first
- CodeSwitch Podcast, NPR
“It's Black History Month, which is likely to bring boundless stories of Black Excellence and Black Firsts. Constance Baker Motley was a trailblazing civil rights judge who ruled in some landmark cases and helped pave the way for many to come after her... Motley's life was full of contradictions, and her many achievements also came with many costs.
The Laverne Cox Show
- Podcast, iHeart Radio
For the premiere of The Laverne Cox Show, Laverne talks with one of her biggest influences, researcher, speaker, author, and storyteller Dr. Brené Brown. They talk about the state of the country and what we must do and *stop* doing to heal our current division.
ATTEND (VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON)
State of Unlearning with Rachel Cargle - February 2022 Black History Month: Rooted in Blackness
2/9 at 8 pm ET - Virtual
For a small contribution, you can become a Patreon member of
The Great Unlearn
for access to this event, and an entire online learning platform with Rachel Cargle that is “rooted in providing resources and critical discourse to aid in unlearning, to provide education and inspire meaningful action.
If you would prefer not to become a Patreon member, please check out
Rachel’s website
for more reading, learning, and watching.
NAACP DeKalb - Virtual Black History Month Program
2/12 at 10 am ET - Virtual
"The NAACP DeKalb Branch is pleased to host a "Virtual" Black History Month Program on February 12, 2022, at 10:00 AM. This event is FREE to the public and all are invited to attend. The theme is KNOW YOUR HISTORY!"
Cleveland Pops Orchestra: In Celebration of Black History Month
2/18 at 8 pm ET - Severance Hall, Cleveland
SUPPORT
The Loveland Foundation
"The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, prioritizing opportunity, access, validation, and healing, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Since inception under a year ago, The Loveland Foundation has offered hundreds of free hours of therapy to Black women and girls."