For Black History Month, an online workshop on Black figures in science took place on February 25, 2021. It focused on people whose extraordinary achievements have shaped the world – and on the question of why their knowledge is so little known.
What it was about
Like many other fields, the production of knowledge is influenced by Eurocentrism. It spread during formative phases of world history such as colonialism, and its narrative also affects Germany. The workshop set out to break with this narrative and to offer the opportunity to get to know important Black figures who have contributed a great deal to human history.
The examples came from a wide range of fields:
- Literature
- Natural sciences
- Technology
- Art
- Music
- Religion
Guiding questions
- Why are Black scientists from the various continents underrepresented in science?
- How can children be empowered beyond their academic careers so that they also take an interest in fields that are hardly diverse?
- How can “Black” knowledge become widely known?
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the workshop took place online, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
