This year’s theme marks the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th amendment and the culmination of the women’s suffrage movement.  It also marks the 150^th anniversary of the 15^th amendment and the rights for black men to vote after the civil war.  This theme has a rich and long history, which begins at the turn of the nineteenth century with the states’ passage of laws that democratized the vote for white men while disenfranchising free black men.

Every year, members of the Woods Hole community come together to celebrate Black History Month. The Woods Hole research community recognizes the value an event such as Black History month has in building a stronger community through diversity.  The six research institutions including The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, US Geological Survey, Woods Hole Research Center, and Sea Education Association all sponsor this program with annual contributions.