Celebrating 100 Years of Black History!

Jessica McRae

Hi Blackbaud Community!  

This February marks an incredible milestone: 100 years of organized Black history observances! What began in 1926 with Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s establishment of Negro History Week has grown into a monthlong celebration that honors the global influence, resilience, and cultural contributions of Black communities.  

This year’s national theme, “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” invites us to look back across the past century of progress, storytelling, and advocacy—all of which shape the world we live in today.   

At Blackbaud, we’re proud to recognize this centennial moment and uplift the voices, stories, and achievements that continue to impact the social good community. To celebrate, employees are engaging in several meaningful activities including curating   a Black History Centennial newsletter series for all employees to enjoy, learning about Black American Sign Language (BASL) and the impact BASL has made on the African American Deaf community, and participating in volunteer activities that support Black-serving nonprofits.   

As we celebrate this centennial year, we’re inspired by the legacy of the past 100 years and energized by the opportunities ahead to help shape the future of social impact, worldwide. 

If your organization is doing something special to observe Blackbaud History Month, we’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Happy Black History Month! 

Michael V. Gold

HBHM!

Angela Finley Hunter

Happy Black History Month!

@Jessica McRae Thanks for creating this post! Appreciate Blackbaud recognizing Black History!

Isaac Comer

I support Black History Month.

Overall, I generally support all forms of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I believe any organization that embraces these principles is stronger than any organization that does not.

Jay Vagh

Black History Month matters because it invites us to pause and recognize the incredible contributions that Black Canadians have made, and continue to make in shaping the cultural, social, political, and economic fabric of the country. It reminds us of the brilliance, creativity, resilience, and leadership of Black Canadians that have always existed, even when systems did not make space for them.

It also calls on all of us to reflect on our responsibility:
To challenge inequities where we see them,
To uplift voices that have historically been unheard,
To commit individually and collectively to building workplaces and communities where everyone can thrive.

At Second Harvest, where our mission is rooted in dignity, justice, and community, this month aligns deeply with our values. It reminds us that food justice is social justice. And that equity must be woven not just into our programs, but into our conversations, our policies, and our daily interactions with one another.

We have an incredible black leader coming in to speak about the important of Black History Month and to share their thoughts and ideas on how to build a more inclusive organization.

Rebecca Petropoulos

Keep your eyes on the prize!

Lindsey Walliser

Happy Black History Month!

Aleah Grady

Happy Black History Month!

Dannele Pinson Baker

Love this! Happy Black History Month!💖💛🖤💚

Tobili Hatcher

Happy Black History Month!💖💛🖤💚

Alma Clay

I appreciate the acknowledgement! Happy Black History Month! 🖤

Afi Jackson-Azibo

Happy Black History Month!

Thank you for this post!

Kimberly Hodges

We’re celebrating Black History Month by hosting the 3rd Annual Letting OUR Voices Be Heard, a free event open to everyone on Sunday, February 8.

What makes the day special is the young people from our community and college students. Most of the performaces (dance, music, poetry, and spoken word) are done by high school and college students They share their voices and their stories. People of all ages come to listen—children, families, elders, students, alumni, and neighbors—but the heart of the event belongs to the young performers.

For a campus of fewer than 500 students, it’s been incredible to see 500+ people come together. The campus fills with energy—music, food trucks, locally owned vendors, community organizations, and a real sense of connection. It feels less like a program and more like a community gathering.

The event is completely student-led. The idea came from Inonda, a Mitchell student who once described herself as a “back-of-the-class student” in high school. She arrived with a vision and figured out how to make it happen—bringing together the Mitchell community, the city of New London, nonprofits, other colleges, and local leaders. Inonda is also an author and a powerful public speaker, and watching her grow into this kind of leadership has been inspiring. This year, she’ll be recognized with a citation from Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Inonda is working with other students who can carry her vision when she graduates next year.

This years theme is Harlem Renaissance and I have bought my "flapper dress" and will be adding my mom's vintage "fur" jacket - it's cold in CT. If you live near the Mitchell Campus, please stop by.

https://www.instagram.com/inondapeterson/reel/DR5Ix_QCQEa/