UNC Athletics Celebrates Black History Month 2025
February marks Black History Month, an important time to remember and recognize Black people who have meant so much to our history while we also continue to have conversations about our present and future.
Black History Month 2024
Black History Month 2023
Black History Month 2022
Black History Month 2021
FEATURE STORIES
Read more about Tar Heels making a difference with feature stories that will be archived here throughout the month.Black History Month Spotlight: Bella Miller
Black History Month Spotlight: Joel James
Black History Month Spotlight: Kaya Forbes
Black History Month Spotlight: Kate Howard
Features on Recent Tar Heel Trailblazers
2022 - Synthia Scott Kearney
2022 - Reggie McAfee
2024 - Sonya Bright
2024 - Mickey Hickerson
TAR HEEL TRAILBLAZERS
On GoHeels.com, you can read about the 14 African-American former student-athletes who have received Tar Heel Trailblazer awards and what they've been up to since being honored. Since its inception in 2014, the award celebrates individuals who paved the way for success in all aspects of the student-athlete experience. New Tar Heel Trailblazers are selected ever other year and were most recently honored in 2024.The Tar Heel Trailblazer award recipients are:
2014 - Courtney Bumpers, Robyn Hadley, Ricky Lanier and Charlie Scott
2015 - Charles Waddell, Karen Stevenson and Stuart Scott
2016 - Sharon Couch and Phil Ford
2018 - Peter Henry and Rochelle Small-Toney
2020 - Willie Cooper
2022 - Synthia Scott Kearney and Reggie McAfee
2024 - Sonya Bright and Mickey Hickerson
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to check back here for updates throughout the month and follow @GoHeels on X and Instagram. This page will highlight Black History Month content from a variety of athletics and campus social media accounts.Honoring a 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗭𝗘𝗥 during Black History Month! pic.twitter.com/TytwJOBufN
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 7, 2025
“Your voice, your talent and your presence matter — on and off the competition floor.”
— Carolina Gymnastics (@uncgymnastics) February 9, 2025
We’re proud to celebrate Bella Miller’s contributions to our team and community during Black History Month.#GoHeels x #BHM pic.twitter.com/smYvguhWo3
Joel James made quite the impression on the 2012-16 @UNC_Basketball squads. Now he's returned to Chapel Hill with the goal of creating an impact in the first chapter of his post-basketball life.
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) February 13, 2025
✍️ https://t.co/AeIm4xNSWt Exclusive | Black History Month Spotlight: Joel James ➡️… pic.twitter.com/AUbcWY7gBT
🗣️ Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate, Only 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀 Can Do That. pic.twitter.com/2zzKbsOtpE
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 13, 2025
“Regardless of what others may say or think, you have just as much potential and influence as anyone else."
— Carolina Gymnastics (@uncgymnastics) February 19, 2025
We’re proud to celebrate Kaya Forbes' contributions to our team and community during Black History Month. #GoHeels x #BHM pic.twitter.com/KEYcAohiAz
A special Black History Month edition of 1ON1 featuring @UNCVolleyball's Chelsea Thorpe and Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development Cricket Lane 🗣️
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) February 27, 2025
🎥 1ON1: Chelsea Thorpe & Cricket Lane
📺 Extended Cut: https://t.co/Y7vNJL8nIc#GoHeels x #BHM pic.twitter.com/HBoT9eNSGU
Growing up in a family of journalists, Kate Howard watched her parents create and grow newspaper outlets up and down the California coast.
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) February 28, 2025
She spent four years in Chapel Hill moving at full speed as both a @UNCFieldHockey and @UNCTrack_Field student-athlete.
And since leaving… pic.twitter.com/HPTBte6VlJ
ONLINE RESOURCES
On Campus:UNC will celebrate Black History Month throughout February with lectures, performances and exhibitions. More information is available here.