Celebrating Black History Month Through Academic Achievement
Every February, schools dust off their Black history curricula. Students learn about Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and maybe—if they’re lucky—George Washington Carver. Corporations roll out their Black History Month campaigns. Social media fills with tribute posts featuring the same dozen historical figures.
This recognition matters. Our history deserves to be taught, celebrated, and honored.
But here’s what often gets lost in February: Black history isn’t just something that happened in the past. It’s something we’re creating right now.
Every Black student who earns a degree, every Black professional who breaks barriers in their field, every Black innovator who solves problems others ignored—they’re making history. Not Black history as a separate category, but history, period.
At the Delta Academic Artist & Philanthropic Foundation, Black History Month is a time to both honor the ancestors who made our current opportunities possible and celebrate the scholars who are actively writing the next chapters of our story.
This February, we’re doing something different. We’re not just looking backward—we’re looking around us, at the brilliant Black students and alumni who are creating the history that future generations will study.
The Scholars Making History Today
History isn’t made in a vacuum. It’s made by people—often young people—who see problems and determine to solve them, who face obstacles and choose to overcome them, who dream of a better world and work to build it.
Here are just a few of the DAAP scholars and alumni who are making history right now.
Nia: Pre-Med Student, Future Neurosurgeon, Present Advocate
Current Status: Senior at Spelman College, majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Africana Studies
The History She’s Making: Nia isn’t just studying to become a neurosurgeon—she’s already changing the field. As an undergraduate, she’s conducting research on health disparities in neurological care for Black patients, documenting how implicit bias affects diagnosis and treatment of Black patients with stroke symptoms.
Her research has been presented at three national conferences. She’s been accepted to medical school with full scholarship funding. And she’s already planning to open a practice that specifically serves Black and Brown communities with neurological conditions.
In Her Own Words: “I grew up watching my grandmother struggle with dementia. Her doctor dismissed her symptoms for years, calling it ‘normal aging.’ If she’d been white and wealthy, I believe she would have been diagnosed and treated earlier. I’m going into neurosurgery because our elders deserve better. I’m going to make sure they get it.”
The Trailblazers Who Made Her Path Possible: Dr. Alexa Canady, the first Black woman neurosurgeon in the United States (1981); Dr. Ben Carson, renowned pediatric neurosurgeon; and Dr. Kimberly Deckert Manning, physician and advocate for health equity.
Marcus: First-Gen Graduate, Software Engineer, Community Builder
Current Status: Software Engineer at Microsoft, graduated from Howard University in 2023
The History He’s Making: Marcus graduated from Howard with a degree in Computer Science, but he’s never forgotten where he came from. While working full-time in tech, he founded “Code Our Future,” a free coding bootcamp for Black high school students in under-resourced schools in Washington, D.C.
The program, which he runs on weekends, has taught over 150 students the fundamentals of web development, introduced them to Black professionals in tech, and helped dozens secure internships and scholarships. Three of his students are now attending HBCUs studying computer science. Two have already secured tech internships before even starting college.
In His Own Words: “I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college. The first to work in tech. The first to make a salary that doesn’t require me to live paycheck to paycheck. I can’t enjoy that success if I’m not reaching back to pull others through. These kids are brilliant—they just need someone to see them and give them a chance.”
The Trailblazers Who Made His Path Possible: Roy Clay Sr., often called the “Godfather of Black Silicon Valley”; Mark Dean, who co-invented the IBM personal computer and holds three of the nine PC patents; and Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code.
Jasmine: Education Major, Future Teacher, Current Change Agent
Current Status: Junior at North Carolina A&T, majoring in Elementary Education
The History She’s Making: Jasmine is preparing to become a teacher, but she’s not waiting until she has her degree to make an impact. She’s currently running a free Saturday tutoring program at her church for Black elementary students who are falling behind in reading.
She’s using culturally responsive teaching methods she’s learning in her coursework, incorporating books by Black authors, creating lesson plans that connect to students’ lives, and building relationships with families. In just one year, every student in her program has improved their reading level by at least two grades.
She’s also organizing with other education majors to push their university to require courses on anti-racist teaching for all future educators.
In Her Own Words: “Black children aren’t failing because they can’t learn. They’re falling behind because the system wasn’t designed for them to succeed. I’m going to be the kind of teacher I wish I’d had—someone who saw my potential, celebrated my culture, and never made me feel like I had to choose between being smart and being Black.”
The Trailblazers Who Made Her Path Possible: Marva Collins, educator who founded Westside Preparatory School and proved that all children can learn given the right environment; Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University; and Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, who pioneered the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy.
David: Law Student, Aspiring Civil Rights Attorney, Present Organizer
Current Status: Second-year law student at Harvard Law School
The History He’s Making: David is studying law to become a civil rights attorney, focusing on educational equity and the school-to-prison pipeline. But he’s already fighting for justice now.
He’s part of a legal team providing pro bono representation to families whose children have been illegally suspended or expelled from school. He’s helping to draft policy recommendations for his state legislature on ending zero-tolerance discipline policies. And he’s mentoring Black undergraduate students who are considering law school.
His legal clinic has successfully advocated for the reinstatement of 12 students who were unjustly removed from school and secured policy changes in three school districts.
In His Own Words: “The law has been used to oppress Black people for centuries. But it can also be a tool for liberation—if we’re the ones wielding it. I’m going to spend my career using the law to tear down the systems that criminalize Black children and deny them the education they deserve.”
The Trailblazers Who Made His Path Possible: Thurgood Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education; Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman federal judge; and Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative.
Amara: Biology Major, Environmental Justice Warrior
Current Status: Sophomore at UCLA, majoring in Environmental Science
The History She’s Making: Amara is studying the intersection of environmental racism and public health. Her research focuses on how pollution disproportionately affects Black neighborhoods and contributes to health disparities.
She’s working with community organizations to document environmental hazards in South Los Angeles, advocating for policy changes, and educating community members about environmental justice. Her work has contributed to successful campaigns to shut down two polluting facilities near residential areas.
In Her Own Words: “When we talk about Black health, we have to talk about Black environments. You can’t be healthy when you’re breathing polluted air and drinking contaminated water. Environmental justice is racial justice.”
The Trailblazers Who Made Her Path Possible: Dr. Robert Bullard, known as the “Father of Environmental Justice”; Dr. Beverly Wright, founder of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; and Majora Carter, urban revitalization strategist.
Why These Stories Matter
You might be thinking: “These are impressive students, but are they really ‘making history’? Aren’t they just doing well in school?”
Here’s why their achievements are historical:
They’re Defying Odds That Were Designed Against Them
Every single one of these students is succeeding despite systemic barriers that were intentionally created to prevent their success.
They’re excelling in educational systems that:
- Under-funded their K-12 schools
- Tracked them away from advanced courses
- Subjected them to harsher discipline than their white peers
- Failed to teach them their own history
- Surrounded them with low expectations
They’re achieving in fields where Black people have historically been excluded, erased, or marginalized. The fact that they’re not just surviving but thriving—that’s historical.
They’re Opening Doors for Others
True trailblazers don’t just make it through—they hold the door open and actively pull others through behind them.
Marcus could focus solely on climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, he’s teaching coding on weekends. Jasmine could simply complete her degree. Instead, she’s already teaching and advocating for systemic change. David could prioritize his own career. Instead, he’s providing free legal services and mentoring the next generation.
This commitment to collective uplift is part of a long Black tradition—from the Underground Railroad to the civil rights movement to today. It’s how we’ve survived and advanced despite everything designed to stop us.
They’re Refusing to Compartmentalize Their Blackness
None of these scholars are trying to be “colorblind” or to separate their Black identity from their academic and professional work. They’re bringing their whole selves—their culture, their history, their community commitment—to everything they do.
Nia isn’t just studying neuroscience—she’s studying Black health disparities. Amara isn’t just an environmental scientist—she’s an environmental justice advocate. David isn’t just a law student—he’s a civil rights attorney in training.
They understand what their ancestors knew: our liberation requires us to excel academically AND to use that excellence in service of our communities.
They’re Redefining What Success Looks Like
In a society that often defines success narrowly—as individual wealth accumulation and upward mobility—these scholars are modeling a different vision.
Success isn’t just getting out of your community—it’s bringing resources back. Success isn’t just personal achievement—it’s collective liberation. Success isn’t just about making history books—it’s about transforming the systems that have oppressed us.
The Ancestors Who Made Today Possible
We can’t talk about the history being made today without acknowledging the giants on whose shoulders today’s scholars stand.
In Education
Mary McLeod Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman University with $1.50 and a vision to educate Black students. She proved that Black educational institutions could produce world-class scholars.
Septima Clark created citizenship schools across the South that taught thousands of Black adults to read and pass literacy tests so they could vote. She understood that education was inseparable from political empowerment.
Marva Collins rejected the idea that Black children from poor neighborhoods couldn’t excel academically. At her school, students from Chicago’s West Side read Shakespeare, mastered mathematics, and went on to prestigious colleges.
Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings developed the framework of culturally relevant pedagogy, proving that academic excellence didn’t require Black students to abandon their culture.
In Science and Medicine
Dr. Charles Drew revolutionized blood storage and created the first large-scale blood banks, saving countless lives—yet was denied a blood transfusion because of his race when he was dying.
Dr. Mae Jemison became the first Black woman in space, proving that the final frontier had room for Black brilliance.
Katherine Johnson calculated the trajectories that sent Americans to the moon—her mathematical genius was essential to NASA’s success, though her contributions were long unrecognized.
Dr. Patricia Bath invented a laser treatment for cataracts and became the first Black woman doctor to receive a medical patent.
In Law and Justice
Thurgood Marshall argued cases that dismantled legal segregation, then became the first Black Supreme Court Justice.
Pauli Murray was a civil rights attorney, women’s rights activist, and Episcopal priest whose legal scholarship influenced Brown v. Board of Education.
Constance Baker Motley was the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary and played a crucial role in the civil rights movement’s legal victories.
The Connection Between Then and Now
Every achievement of today’s scholars stands on the foundation these pioneers built. They proved it could be done. They kicked down doors. They paid prices—often with their safety, their comfort, and sometimes their lives—so that today’s students could walk through.
Nia can pursue neurosurgery because Dr. Alexa Canady proved a Black woman could. Marcus can work in tech because Roy Clay Sr. helped build Silicon Valley. Jasmine can become the teacher she never had because Marva Collins showed what’s possible. David can fight for justice because Thurgood Marshall mapped that path.
This isn’t inspiration porn. This is historical fact: our success today is inseparable from their sacrifice yesterday.
How to Celebrate Black History Month Through Academic Achievement
If you’re a Black student, here’s how to make this Black History Month meaningful:
1. Research a Black Trailblazer in Your Field
Whoever you want to become, however you want to change the world, there’s almost certainly a Black person who paved that path before you. Find them. Study them. Learn from their strategies and their setbacks.
Action step: This month, read a biography or autobiography of a Black pioneer in your field. Then write a reflection on how their journey informs yours.
2. Document Your Own Story
You’re making history. Are you documenting it?
Action step: Start a journal, blog, or video diary documenting your academic journey—the challenges, the victories, the lessons. Future students will benefit from your wisdom just as you’ve benefited from those who came before.
3. Connect With Your Academic Lineage
Find the Black professors, mentors, and professionals in your field. Learn from them. Let them pour into you the way others poured into them.
Action step: Reach out to a Black professional in your desired field this month. Ask for an informational interview. Build relationship. Everyone who’s made it had help—don’t try to do it alone.
4. Amplify Other Black Scholars
Use your platforms—social media, student organizations, your classroom—to highlight the achievements of Black peers and Black professionals.
Action step: This month, publicly celebrate three Black students or professionals whose work inspires you.
5. Use Your Education in Service
The ancestors didn’t fight for you to get educated just so you could accumulate wealth and forget where you came from. They fought so you could be equipped to lift up your community.
Action step: Identify one way you can use your education or skills in service this semester—tutoring, mentoring, volunteering, organizing.
For Parents, Educators, and Allies
Black History Month is an opportunity to invest in today’s history-makers.
Support Black Students Concretely
- Donate to organizations like DAAP that provide direct support
- Fund scholarships for Black students
- Hire Black students for internships and jobs
- Connect Black students with mentors and opportunities
Teach the Full Story
- Go beyond the sanitized version of Black history
- Include Black history all year, not just in February
- Highlight Black achievement across all fields, not just civil rights
- Teach about current Black excellence, not just historical figures
Create Opportunities
- If you’re in a position to hire, recruit Black students and professionals
- If you control resources, ensure Black students have access
- If you have a platform, amplify Black voices
- If you have privilege, use it to open doors
Challenge Inequity
- Advocate for educational equity in your community
- Speak up when Black students are treated unfairly
- Support policies that dismantle barriers
- Hold institutions accountable
The History We’re Writing Together
At DAAP, we don’t just celebrate Black history in February—we invest in it every single day of the year.
Through our scholarship program, we’re ensuring that financial barriers don’t prevent brilliant Black students from pursuing their dreams.
Through our mentorship program, we’re connecting students with the guidance and support they need to navigate systems that weren’t built for them.
Through our advocacy work, we’re pushing institutions to be better, to do better, to serve Black students better.
And through our community, we’re creating spaces where Black students can be fully themselves while pursuing academic excellence—where they don’t have to choose between their identity and their ambitions.
This Black History Month, we’re celebrating:
- 47 students currently receiving DAAP scholarships
- 120 mentor-mentee relationships
- 300+ students served through our programs this academic year
- 15 alumni now giving back as mentors and donors
- Countless lives changed, doors opened, and barriers broken
But we’re not just celebrating—we’re building. Because Black history isn’t finished. It’s ongoing. And you’re part of it.
Your Role in the Story
Every generation faces the question: Will we merely benefit from the sacrifices of those who came before, or will we make our own contributions to the ongoing struggle for liberation and excellence?
The ancestors fought so you could have opportunities. What will you do with them?
The trailblazers opened doors. Will you walk through them and hold them open for others?
History is being made right now. The only question is whether you’ll be part of making it or merely observing it.
This Black History Month, DAAP invites you to be more than a spectator. Be a scholar. Be an advocate. Be a mentor. Be a supporter. Be a history-maker.
Because Black history isn’t just something we celebrate in February. It’s something we create every single day.
And the most exciting part? The best chapters haven’t been written yet.
This Black History Month, invest in the scholars making history today. Support DAAP’s mission to empower Black students through scholarships, mentorship, and community.
