The Brown School at Washington University Honors Black History Month 2025
January 15, 2025
This Black History Month, we celebrate Strength in Labor: The Legacy and Future of African American Contributions. Alongside our esteemed online panelists, we unveil the Brown School Land and Labor Acknowledgement. This poignant tribute honors enslaved ancestors whose forced labor built the foundation upon which our society stands, while acknowledging the ongoing injustices faced by their descendants. These injustices, rooted in the deep-seated trauma of slavery, manifest in persistent health disparities, economic inequality, and systemic barriers that continue to impede progress. This page serves not only to uplift our champions, but also as a call to action, urging us to embark on a journey of healing and reconciliation. We invite you to begin this journey through diligent research and earnest learning, ultimately becoming a force for justice and equality.
Visit our Black History Month Land and Labor Acknowledgement page.
We prove the human spirit will prevail. We will take what we have to make what we need.”
Nikki Giovanni
About 2025
Speakers Series 2025
Wall of Champions 2025
Land and Labor Acknowledgement
In Memoriam 2025
Facts and Figures
Meet Our Champions
Our Wall of Champions is where we give our flowers to those who have uplifted and amplified the African American diaspora.
Also learn about the incredible impact and legacy of the Black Greek Letter Organizations known as the Divine Nine.
2025 Black History Month Speaker Series
The Brown School has curated a series of lectures and panels during Black History Month.
Ben Kesler
Thursday, January 30
Black History Month Speaker (Open Classroom Online)
Leveraging Access to Create Opportunities for Others
Presented by Ben Kesler
Thursday, January 30, 2025
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM CT
Register Today!
Charli Cooksey and Heather Cameron
Thursday, February 6
Black History Month Speaker (Open Classroom Online)
Community Wealth Building: Moving forward to inclusive prosperity in St. Louis
Co-presented by Heather Cameron and Charlie Cooksey
Thursday, February 6, 2025
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM CT
Register Today!
Adia Harvey Wingfield
Thursday, February 13
Black History Month Speaker (Open Classroom Online)
Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Maintains Racism
Presented by Dr. Adia Harvey Wingfield
Thursday, February 13, 2025
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM CT
Register Today!
Malik Ahmed
Thursday, February 20
Black History Month Speaker (Open Classroom Online)
From Free Enslavement Labor to Economic Justice
Presented by Mr. Malik Ahmed
Thursday, February 20, 2025
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM CT
Register Today
She asked me to kill the spider
Instead, I got the most
peaceful weapons I can findI take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk awayIf I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,I hope I am greeted
Nikki Giovanni’s poem “Mercy”
with the same kind
of mercy.”