Welcome to the Brown School’s 2024 Black History Month recognition.
We honor and commemorate our ancestors, our contemporaries, our next generation, and our co-conspirators who have gone above and beyond in every aspect of the preservation, expression, and appreciation of Black creativity and artistry.
Black History at the Brown School
In 1945, the social work department became its own school, offering a Master of Social Work degree. We soon began a doctoral program and became the first school at Washington University to admit African-American students.
Origins of Black History Month
The antecedent to Black History Month was launched in the second week of February, 1926 by Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This week was also chosen to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. The first celebration of Black History Month took place at Kent State from January 2 to February 28, 1970.
Since 1976 every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February, also known as African American History Month, as an annual national observance recognizing the central role and significant contributions that Black Americans have made to our nation’s history, life and culture.
Black History Month received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada (February) and more recently has been observed in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (October).
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Gratefully,
Cynthia D. Williams
Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships
Co-Chair, Black History Month Committee 2024
Black History Month Committee 2024
Cynthia D. Williams, Assistant Dean for Community Partnerships, BHM Committee Co-Chair
Amber Brown, Washington University, Assistant Director, Career Development, BHM Committee Co-Chair
Sharon Rhiney, Brown School, Communications Coordinator, BHM Graphic and Web Designer
Jewel Stafford, Brown School, Assistant Dean for Field Education, Director, Racial Equity Fellowship Program
Da’Shaun Scott, Brown School, Assistant Director for Student Engagement
Sarah Sims, Brown School, Assistant Director of Professional Development
Will Andrews, Washington University, Director of Housing Operations
Jon Hinderliter, Brown School, Director of Communications
Erica Jones, Brown School, Student Financial Services Assistant
Ahmar Ursani, Washington University, Assistant Director, Career Development
Special thanks to Assistant Professor Diana Parra Perez and to Vetta Sanders Thompson, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Deep appreciation to Dean Dorian Traube for her unwavering support, commitment, and leadership.
Fifty-Plus Years of Black Excellence in Teaching
What I teach is to how to change our thought processes in order to be able to walk in different cultures, and to deal with the African American urban struggle.
Jack Kirkland, Associate Professor, Brown School
A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option — for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.
John R. Lewis, Civil Rights Icon, member of Congress, author
Symbolism in the BHM Imagery
The Flag
The red, black, and green colors incorporated into the imagery are drawn from the Pan-African Flag. Designed by Marcus Mosiah Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNA), it was adopted by the organization on August 13, 1920.
St. Louis City Flag
The St. Louis City flag, adopted in 1964, features wavy blue and white lines that converge at the center, symbolizing the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. A golden circle with a blue fleur-de-lis in the center represents the city’s French heritage.
Raised Fist
Our modern rendition replaces the fleur-de-lis with a Black Power fist clutching a paintbrush, an ode to artistic expression and activism. By giving the flag a fresh palette of red, black, green, and yellow, we highlight the significance of these colors in the realm of Black History and align with this year’s theme.
Black Lives Matter
We also honor and acknowledge the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement with the inclusion of yellow. The organization’s mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
Fifty Years of Black Activism and Study
We ask for this Black Studies Program because we feel it is not only necessary for our education, but for our very survival.
The Black Manifesto
“We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”
James Baldwin, author, poet, activist, orator