Black History Month is dedicated to appreciating, celebrating, and understanding history and culture tied to the Black community. Mainstream appreciation of the community has progressed considerably in the last two decades. It has also been a significant period for women of color, with women being represented more in the media in recent decades and recognized for their achievements and numerous political advancements. Learning about the accomplishments of people in today’s day and age helps to understand how history is created in different cultures.
Politics
Barack Obama, a Democrat, lawyer, and politician, started his presidential campaign after serving as a senator of Illinois for three years. Obama was elected in 2008 as the 44th and very first Black president of the United States. Obama was in office from 2009 to 2017 and made many notable reforms, most significantly the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as “Obamacare.” The ACA has provided over 40 million Americans with access to healthcare. The first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, was nominated in February of 2022 by former president Joe Biden. Jackson is also the first former federal public defender to serve on the Supreme Court. Jackson released her memoir, “Lovely One,” in September of 2024. She writes about her life and the path that led her to serve on the highest court in the U.S. She describes her motivation as continuing her parents’ and grandparents’ legacies as educators and advocates for equal rights for Black people.
Representation in Media
Representation of the Black community in media has increased over the last two decades. One notable example was Halle Bailey in 2024’s “The Little Mermaid.” Bailey’s casting as Ariel sparked numerous reactions online but demonstrated a culturally important moment for people of color. The casting of Cynthia Erivo and Marissa Bode as Elphaba and Nessarose in “Wicked” (2024) was significant to the Black community, as well as to people with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community. Bode was the first person with a disability to play Nessarose, a canonically disabled character. Erivo explains her role as a Black Queer woman playing Elphaba as a “love letter to everyone who feels different.”
Black Lives Matter Movement
The Black Lives Matter international activist movement, created by organizers Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Ayọ (formerly known as Opal) Tometi in 2013, is a project that campaigns against violence and discrimination towards the Black community. This movement addresses issues including police brutality, racial inequality, discrimination, and racial profiling. The movement began and spread over social media with the hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter,” created in response to the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin, a Black American teenager from Miami, Florida. The movement is still active and protesting against racial issues, especially in the United States.
Female Athletes
Black American female athletes have also been getting more recognition. Simone Biles, an Olympic gymnast born in Columbus, Ohio, started her journey at six years old, progressing to win 30 World Championship medals and 11 Olympic medals as of 2025. Venus and Serena Williams, American tennis players, were named the top two female tennis players in the world in 2002. The sisters started playing tennis professionally as young teenagers. Serena Williams retired after the 2022 U.S. Open, while Venus Williams responded to rumors of retirement by stating, “I’m not done with the racket yet.” Sha’Carri Richardson, an Olympic track and field athlete, rose to fame after breaking two world records for athletes under the age of 20 in the same day at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships. She decided to go professional soon after. As of the 2024 Olympics, Richardson has won a gold medal and a silver medal.
