Black History Month is a celebration of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of justice. This year’s theme, “African Americans and Labor,” recognizes not just economic contributions, but the intellectual and social labor that has shaped the nation. Nowhere is that labor more transformative than in education, where Black leaders have fought to create access, challenge injustice, and reimagine learning as a tool for liberation.
A Legacy of Education as Liberation
For generations, African Americans have fought to secure education as a fundamental right, knowing that access to knowledge is one of the most powerful tools for liberation. Mary McLeod Bethune embodied this belief when she founded a school for Black girls in 1904 with little more than a dollar and a vision. She understood that education was not just about literacy, but about self-determination, economic independence, and leadership. Her school, which eventually became Bethune-Cookman University, was part of a broader movement in which Black communities built their own institutions in the face of systemic exclusion.
Education was never just about acquiring skills. It was about empowerment, civil rights, and shaping the future. Septima Clark recognized this when she established citizenship schools in the Jim Crow South, ensuring that Black Americans could pass literacy tests designed to suppress their right to vote. Carter G. Woodson, the very founder of Black History Month, knew that if Black achievements were omitted from textbooks, the narrative of American history would remain incomplete. His life’s work ensured that future generations would know the truth about the contributions of Black scholars, leaders, and visionaries.
Today, Black educators, advocates, and school leaders carry this legacy forward. They fight for policies that dismantle systemic barriers, push for diverse and inclusive curricula, and work to create classrooms where every student is seen, valued, and supported. The battle for equitable funding, fair representation in leadership, and an education system that truly serves all students is ongoing. But if history has shown us anything, it is that the pursuit of knowledge is a force no system can suppress.
The Work is Not Finished
This work is not done alone. Across the country, Black-led organizations are expanding educational opportunities, advocating for policy change, and developing the next generation of Black leaders. Schools like Watts Learning Center in Los Angeles, rooted in a historic hub of Black activism, and IDEA Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., are ensuring that students receive the rigorous, community-centered education they deserve. Phalen Leadership Academies, founded by Earl Phalen, is proving what is possible when school leadership prioritizes both excellence and equity.
Beyond schools, Black-led nonprofits and organizations are driving systemic change. The New Teacher Project, under the leadership of Tequilla Brownie, works to dismantle educational inequities and improve teacher quality nationwide. We deeply respect and follow the work of organizations like Offor, founded by Ify Walker, which challenges traditional hiring models to create more equitable opportunities, and Black Teacher Project, led by Dr. Micia Mosely, which uplifts and supports Black educators in building thriving, affirming school environments.
At WorkTogether, we know this work is far from over. Too often, school leadership does not reflect the diversity of the students it serves, and the structures that shape hiring and advancement still leave Black educators underrepresented in decision-making roles. While we are committed to helping schools and organizations build more representative leadership teams, we also recognize that representation alone is not the finish line. The true measure of progress is whether Black leaders have not just a seat at the table, but real influence in shaping the future of education.
Black History Month is a time to honor those who paved the way, but also to ask what we are doing to continue their work. Education has always been a site of struggle and transformation, and the responsibility to build something better remains with all of us.
