Celebrating Black History Month!
Today & every day, we celebrate Black history, Black stories, and Black joy in our watershed and beyond.
The Environmental Justice movement is rooted in Black history––Black leaders, who are often overlooked, shape the environmental movement we know today. From founding leaders like Dr. Robert Bullard, Rev. Benjamin Chavis, Hazel M. Johnson, Hattie Carthan, Wangari Maathai, John Francis, and countless others, to present-day leaders like Colette Pichon Battle, Dr. Beverly Wright, Rue Mapp, Catherine Coleman Flowers, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Leah Thomas, and so many more.
Racial justice is climate justice––we cannot separate the two. In fact, we have a lot to learn from the struggle for collective liberation in the civil rights movement and the modern-day Black Lives Matter movement in our approach to the climate crisis. To achieve a truly just, resilient watershed, we need to center the voices of those most affected by environmental racism, and let these communities be our guide to a future where all, regardless of race, class, gender, and ability, have equitable access to clean air, water, unpolluted land, green space, and opportunity.
Want to learn more about the connection between climate justice and racial justice? Listen to Black Lives Matter and Climate from How to Save A Planet. Read resources from Intersectional Environmentalist and Celebrate Black Environmental Voices from Southern Environmental Law Center.
How can you celebrate Black History Month? Read Black authors––explore Boston Public Library’s Black Is… booklist and NPR’s emerging Black authors list. Watch Boston Globe’s Black History Month Film Festival, celebrate Black-owned restaurants + businesses, support Black artists + musicians, and tune in to Black News Hour via Boston Globe. Visit the Museum of African American History––Cambridge Public Library is offering free passes. Find an event near you—check out offerings at City of Boston, Boston Public Library, Cambridge Public Library, Newton Community Pride, and more.
