Turning Hope Into Action: Black History Month

This Black History Month, we are highlighting three Black pioneers in the fields of social work, early learning, and mental health to honor the way that their fight for equal rights influences today’s systems, youth, and families. 

Ida B. Wells was an integral part of the progressive movement, using her passion for social justice and her skills as a journalist to fight for racial and gender equality. Wells was involved in the founding of the NAACP as well as many other organizations that fought for equality for all Americans. 

Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark was a groundbreaking psychologist and educator known for her foundational research on child development. She played a crucial role in the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Her career spanned over 40 years, during which she contributed significantly to early childhood education. 

Joseph L. White is referred to as “the father of Black psychology.” He wrote the groundbreaking article “Toward a Black Psychology,” which is credited as being the first-ever strengths-based evaluation of Black behavior and culture. He passionately advocated for the creation of Black psychology, arguing that applying white psychology to Black people often unfairly created the illusion of Black inferiority. 

Here at One Hope United, we aspire to turn hope into action, as did those who came before us. One Hope Member, Corneilia Pierce, is living this mission every day as Assistant Director at OHU’s Aurora Early Learning Center. She says, “I want the world that children live in to be a place where most people are kind, loving, thoughtful, and considerate. Achieving that all starts in early childhood, with supporting the whole child and each person that’s connected to these wonderful little humans. Working at One Hope United allows me to support educators, children, and their families. We serve children and families that are at risk allowing me to be a tiny piece of building a better future for all, a value of One Hope United.”