I'm Paris Jackson in the Cascade PBS newsroom.

Welcome to the Newsfeed.

February is Black History Month, occurring against a climate across the country to remove Black historical artifacts, erase the contributions of African Americans and even ban books.

This week, we're bringing you stories from the largest Black online encyclopedia ahead of its time BlackPast.org.

In 2004, the website was created by the late University of Washington professor Dr.

Quintard Taylor, including Dr.

Quin'Nita Cobbins-Modica.

She began working with Taylor on the project when she was one of his students.

You don't have to go to an ivory tower.

You don't have to go through a paywall or a subscription, because that was one of Doctor Taylor's visions to ensure that this information would be available to the public.

So there would be no excuse for any ignorance at all about the contributions and achievements of Black people.

But also it tells a story of not just resilience, but also of triumph.

In September, Dr.

Taylor passed away.

Earlier this month, people from across the country converged together to celebrate his life at a memorial service in Kent.

To be here today to celebrate.

Now, Dr.

Cobbins-Modica is carrying her mentor's work forward as a professor in California.

When I see students coming to the classroom, and see how little they know, because what they have been taught is a very sanitized and romanticized version of history.

And they get in my classroom.

This is the first time they are hearing, of these stories and these narratives.

I'm Paris Jackson.

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