Some Feel Good Black History Month Highlights

As we continue through March, we want to take a moment to recap some of the Black History that was made during Black History Month. Recognition and representation are important factors of diversity, equity, and inclusion, so join us in taking a moment to reflect on the richness and joy that took place over the last month in the Black community.

1. Lebron James made an incredible leap in his career in February 2023, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the highest NBA career scoring record, currently over 38,390 points. James has also racked up over 10,000 rebounds and dished out over 10,000 assists! This incredible milestone is a testament to LeBron James' exceptional talent and dedication to the game. Hear what he has to say about his incredible moment here.

2. ‘The Negro National Anthem’ also known as ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ was performed for the first time on the field at the 2023 Super Bowl! This historical moment featured the incredible vocals of Emmy Award Winner Sheryl Lee Ralph and came after trailblazers Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige paved the way. Alicia Keys became the first to perform ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ in a pre-recorded video that aired during the 2021 Super Bowl. During the 2022 Super Bowl, Mary J. Blige performed it from outside the stadium, one step closer to the field. Listen to the inspiring song and Sheryl Lee’s powerful performance here.

3. With a total of 88 nominations under her belt, Beyonce made history this February by winning the most Grammys ever with 32 wins! At the 2023 Grammys Beyonce won for best dance/electronic music album RENAISSANCE, best R&B song for “Cuff It”, best R&B performance, and best dance/electronic recording. Beyonce also went on to thank the LGTBQIA+ community for their love and inventing the genre. See her drinking in the moment here!

4. Actress Viola Davis won a Grammy Award at the 65th annual Grammy Awards  for narrating the audiobook of her memoir, Finding Me. She has become the 18th person in history to achieve the coveted EGOT status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. She is the first actor in nearly 30 years to achieve this, and is one of 4 Black winners and one of 3 Black women to hold the EGOT title. Watch her impactful and powerful speech here!

5. Michael Jordan continues to be an MVP on AND off the court. For his 60th birthday in February, he celebrated by making a donation of $10 million to Make-A-Wish America, the largest individual contribution received in the organization’s 43-year history. He granted his first wish in 1989 and has granted hundreds more in the past 34 years, earning him the “Chief Wish Ambassador” title in 2008. Learn more about Michael Jordan’s Make-A-Wish journey here!

6. Popular Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat surpassed 200,000 subscribers on Twitch this February, becoming the third streamer to achieve this feat and the first Black streamer to do so. His platform has seen phenomenal success since 2021 after founding the group Any Means Possible with 5 other creators. Check out his channel and some of his content here.

7. For the first time in NFL history, two Black starting quarterbacks - Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs - went head-to-head in Super Bowl 57. Mahomes rallied a strong comeback of 10 points after half-time, and while it was a close game of 38-35, the Chiefs won it all in the end. Mahomes talks about the significance of two Black starting quarterbacks here.

Black History is made every day, not just during Black History Month, and we look forward to sharing and celebrating the achievements of Black excellence throughout the year.