Celebrating Black History Month – Black Excellence in My Family: Gladys Denson Mays

February is the shortest month of the year and often the coldest, but it has always been my favorite. It’s the month we celebrate Black History Month and recognize Black excellence.

Through my family history research, I’ve learned that Black excellence doesn’t require wealth, fame, or celebrity. It shows up in everyday choices—especially the courage to imagine more for yourself when the world tells you otherwise.

My grandmother was Black excellence. In the 1920s and 1930s, she recognized the value of education at a time when many believed she didn’t need it or deserve it. She pursued her education anyway, became an educator, and went on to teach generations of students that they, too, could be more than what the world expected of them.

Stories like hers are why I do this work. Family history reveals the quiet excellence that shaped our families and our communities—long before it was ever celebrated publicly.

This Black History Month, I’m honoring Black excellence by remembering and preserving the stories of people like my grandmother, whose impact continues to be felt today.