Growing Black Roots:
The Black Botanical Legacy
A groundbreaking FREE virtual lecture series highlighting Black Botanists who will inspire others to pursue a career in plants and highlight pathways to diversity and inclusion in botanical sciences.
Co-organized by Juliana Medeiros, Holden Arboretum and Maya Allen, University of New Mexico
This lecture series will take place entirely online, with a new speaker on the second Wednesday of the month from October 2020 to September 2021.
Our Scientist Lecture Series this year was inspired by Black Botanists Week, a Twitter campaign that took place in July 2020, “to promote, encourage, create a safe space for, and find more Black people who love plants.” This campaign went viral, reaching thousands of viewers and attracting Black Botanists from around the globe. The participants received an outpouring of support and requests for collaboration through their newly created #BlackBotanistsWeek Twitter account and website . Media coverage of this movement included such outlets as WNYC news, Cape Talk Radio, Newzroom Afrika and The Daily Item. The organizing committee strives to leverage these collaborations to fund a Black Botanists Week Scholarship to support underrepresented groups in pursuing botanical fields.
This 11-part lecture series will cover a broad range of botanical disciplines, delve into the historical legacy of formally trained and self-taught Black Botanists who inspired others to pursue a career in plants, and highlight pathways toward diversity and inclusion in botanical sciences. With this series, the organizers and contributors seek to shine a light on the Black roots within botany, foster a community of Black Botanists, show that diversity is found within this community, and inspire others who may not have considered Botany as a career choice.
Educational Connections to Support Holden Forests & Gardens Scientist Lecture Series, Growing Black Roots: The Black Botanical Legacy
To further support teachers in incorporating the Black Botanical Legacy Lecture Series into their classroom curriculums Holden Forests & Gardens will provide suggested activities that were developed in conjunction with each lecturer.
These activities are:
- Targeted at the middle and high school level
- Meant to be used after the lectures are viewed live or recorded
- Interdisciplinary in nature – many have social studies, math, language arts and career connections
The activities are divided into three sections so that teachers are better able to tailor their connection to the lectures in the way that best enables them to meet their goals and objectives.
- Comprehend and Connect: Ways to reflect on the lecture, its content and applications to the student’s life
- To Do: Activities that support the lecture content. These are either hands on and inquiry in nature or ask the student to use data to analyze a situation.
- Follow Up: In-depth study and independent work that makes a larger connection to part of the topic discussed.
