Black History Month provides an opportunity to honor and celebrate the incredible contributions of African Americans, both past and present. You’re invited to the Lantana Road Branch Library's 2025 Black History Month Gallery Walk, which celebrates the incredible accomplishments of twenty prominent African Americans whose work has enriched American culture and progress in all aspects. Prominent figures featured in this gallery exhibition include artist Jacob Lawrence, renowned poet Maya Angelou, mathematician Katherine Johnson and pioneer in aviation, pilot Bessie Coleman.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Artists like Jacob Lawrence and poets like Maya Angelou have used their interpretations of the African American experience to link the difficulties they faced to the greater story of American identity. Their art and literature not only depicted individual and collective hardships but also inspired future generations to embrace the past while fighting forjustice.
Science and math trailblazers, such as Bessie Coleman and Katherine Johnson, demonstrated African Americans' pioneering contributions to knowledge and innovation. Coleman's aviation work impacted legends such as Willa Brown and the Tuskegee Airmen, while Johnson's calculations were vital to the success of NASA's early space missions. These contributions emphasize the essential role of African Americans in shaping scientific progress, often in the face of systemic barriers.
Tour this curated collection of portraits and infographics and use your camera to scan the QR codes on each display to discover more. You’ll also have the opportunity to fill out a brief survey and answer a few questions for a chance to win a gift card.
As you browse the collection, we encourage you to reflect on the lives and accomplishments of these outstanding people. Their impact radiates beyond their own disciplines, generating movements for equality and social justice that continue to change our society today. By recognizing these voices, we respect a history of perseverance and innovation that has enhanced American culture while also contributing to the continuous story of humanity's search for understanding and connection.
The Gallery will be exhibiting the entire month of February in celebration of Black History Month at our Lantana Road Branch.