Black History Month, which honors the achievements and marks the history of the Black community, shouldn’t be just a month. Yet, it’s an important time to uplift prominent civil rights activists, read more books by Black authors, and continue to support the Black community.
In a lot of ways, Black History Month also draws attention to the lack of education on Black history, as evidenced by many schools glossing over the community’s deep history. Black History Month also reiterates that racial inequities persist today, that racism is engrained in the structures of social and economic life.
It’s critical to address this hate through real economic power. Thus, it’s important to give back to Black organizations and scholarships that work to uplift the Black community. By working to make racial equality a reality, the month is more meaningful and true to its purpose. Without further ado, here are five organizations and scholarships to donate to this Black History month.
- Black Girls Code
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Black Girls Code is an organization that teaches Black girls how to code, ultimately preparing Black women for the digital workforce. The nonprofit provides workshops, programs, and scholarships to young Black women, and also hosts hackathons. They also offer a robust alumni program that provides career development support, coaching, and mentoring. You can donate to Black Girls Code here.
- NAACP
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The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is one of the oldest civil rights organizations fighting for racial equity. Their programs look to achieve a variety of goals, including addressing Black voter suppression, pushing for policies that change the criminal justice system, and ensuring that everyone has access to equal education. You can donate to the NAACP here.
- The Equal Justice Initiative
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The Equal Justice Initiative, featured in the book and movie Just Mercy, was founded by Bryan Stevenson, a public interest lawyer looking to push back against mass incarceration. By providing representation to those who are illegally convicted or unfairly sentenced, this organization also advocates for abolition of the death penalty, which disproportionately targets Black men. Donate to the Equal Justice Initiative here.
- National Black Justice Coalition
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The National Black Justice Coalition is an organization dedicated to several civil rights priorities — such as ending racism, homophobia, and LGBTQ discrimination. Dedicated to both supporting and empowering LGBT people, along with folks with HIV/AIDs, NBJC works on coalition building, federal policy, education, and research. Donate to the National Black Justice Coalition here.
- Thurgood Marshall College Fund
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The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is the largest organization in the country representing public HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and PBIs (Predominantly Black Institutions). The organization provides leadership, job recruiting, scholarships, and other resources to young Black leaders. Donate to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund here.