Black History Today 2025: An Introduction
/Black History Today, created by Marcus Harden in honor of Black History Month, pays tribute to the living legacy of Black history in our community and beyond and recognizes the people among us who are boldly shaping the future.
“The question is not whether we will be extremists but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?”
By Marcus Harden
Years ago, when I started this, the idea of writing about and celebrating ordinary people doing extraordinary things might have been seen as an act of rebellion—perhaps even extremism. Yet, here we are in 2025, still lifting voices, still honoring the brilliance that shapes our world.
I would never call this work a “labor of love” because that phrase feels too small. This is joy in motion. This is pride overflowing. Every tribute, every name, every story holds a power that words alone could never fully capture.
And yet, in this time and space—much like Dr. King—I find myself at a crossroads, searching for hope, searching for light. I may not be writing this from a Birmingham jail, but across this nation, too many are trapped in what feels like an inescapable loop—an exhausting cycle of racism, gaslighting, and hate-filled madness. A multiverse where justice feels just out of reach, and no Black Panther or Doctor Strange is in sight. Honestly, at this point, I’d even take Meteor Man!
But what is fear without faith? What is doubt without the counterweight of hope? If history has taught us anything, it is that we must keep telling our stories—especially when others try to erase them.
Because if not us, then who? If not now, then when?
As Dr. King reminded us, “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded…”
So with every name we celebrate, we demand joy. With every story we share, we demand hope. With every truth we tell, we demand courage. With every connection we nurture, we demand love.
And most importantly, we demand each other—to keep making Black History Today. And tomorrow, too.
With Extreme Love,
– MLH
Original artwork created by Devin Chicras for the South Seattle Emerald.
