Happy Black History Month! This year marks the 100th Black History Month, which started as Negro History Week in 1926. As February comes to a close, we wanted to take the space to highlight both the 100 years of legacy of Black students and alumni at UC Berkeley, as well as the creativity and community Black students have curated on this campus. 

From fashion shows to the Bearettes marching in the Black Joy Parade to how Black students in STEM open up access to competitive fields, Black students have always shown up for one another and excelled in many spaces. We hope this issue highlights that. 

Beyond campus, the impact of Black leaders in social movements and notable Black alumni who are innovators in their fields, has reached the city of Berkeley, the Bay Area, California and the world. Happy 100 years of Black legacy at UC Berkeley — here’s to 100 more. 

– Amara McEvoy, Chrissa Olson & Emewodesh Eshete

 

“Energetic chants and endless music filled the streets of Downtown Oakland at the ninth annual Black Joy Parade on Feb. 22.”

– Hannah Morris & Farida Dowidar

“Every day, thousands of students pass by “the wall.” A simple concrete structure in front of the Golden Bear Café, a few feet high and roughly 50 feet long, the wall appears plain and unassuming — yet it carries a rich legacy today during the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.”

– Madeleine Kashkooli

“The Black Pre-Dental Association and the Black Student in Health Association aim to uplift and support Black students on the pre-professional health track.”

– Casey Chang

“Black Lives at Cal ran a guided black history walking tour Feb. 11 on campus, led by Gia White, administrative director of Global, International and Area Studies.”

– Roman Travato

“Neat parts and beautiful braids are the precision that Mira McDavitt and Sylvia Akanno aim for. Both self taught, they provide braiding services for UC Berkeley students and the local community.”

– Lucía Umeki-Martínez

“UC Berkeley’s School of Education was awarded $500,000 from the 2026 UC-HBCU Initiative grant last July to create a seven-week summer research experience for undergraduate students from Morehouse College and Talladega College.”

– Alice Conry

“From sourdough pizzas to Ethiopian kitfo and Southern classics, these neighborhood staples reflect the influence of Black and African cultures woven into Berkeley’s dining scene.”

– Olivia Schallich

“Yes, I want schools to teach Black history, but more than that, I am urging you to seek it out wherever you can. I am asking you to recognize the promises of Black history in teaching us lessons that shape who we are and how we understand this country.”

– Kendall Carr

“By existing at an institution like UC Berkeley — where you are the minority and, despite their supposed wokeness, your peers still fail to understand you — Black students must act as a lesson to everyone they come across, whether they want to or not.”

– Esi Otoo

“This year will mark 10 years since I moved from a place I’ll forever consider home, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to call it that much longer.”

– Raina Dent

“The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling was not the singular decisive moment in U.S. reproductive history. Instead, it intensified the barriers that, for many Black women, existed even under Roe v. Wade.”

– Lucy Blanchard

“In African American Student Development’s annual Black History Month Fashion Show on Feb. 20, titled “Stitched in Power,” students explored how denim is a staple of Black history, citing its importance to Black laborers and explaining how denim has since been reclaimed by the Black community.”

– Taline Hagopian