April marks National Minority Health Month (NMHM), a time to raise awareness of the ongoing disparities in health and health care access faced by racial and ethnic minority groups. The United States Congress passed an official resolution to recognize NMHM annually in 2002, but its origins can be traced back to the public health advocacy of Booker T. Washington, an African American author, educator, and thought leader who worked tirelessly to address social, economic, and health-related inequities in the Black community.

In 1881, Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute, a historically Black college in Alabama that produced seminal research about the high rates of infectious disease and premature mortality impacting African Americans. Washington immediately recognized that these disparities were a significant barrier to the freedom and liberation of Black people. In response to the Institute’s findings, he wrote in 1914: “Without health, and until we reduce the high death rate, it will be impossible for us to have permanent success in business, in property getting, in acquiring education, or to show other evidences of progress.” In 1915, Washington laid the groundwork for NMHM by establishing the first ‘National Negro Health Week,’ a public education campaign focused on personal hygiene, disease prevention, and the importance of proper nutrition in Black households. His efforts were pivotal in providing knowledge and resources to a community that had been left behind, and often mistreated, by major medical and public health institutions. The U.S. Public Health Service later adopted Washington’s initiative in its efforts to increase the number of Black health care professionals in the workforce, sparking a nationwide movement to fight for health equity as a pillar of social justice.

Today, Whittier Street Health Center honors Washington’s legacy by advancing our mission through research, education, and community outreach. From our Center for Health Equity Research to our initiatives that enhance access to food, healthcare, and vital social services, we are dedicated to tackling the social determinants of health and addressing the underlying causes of inequity that affect health outcomes among our patients. This month, we affirm our commitment to addressing race-based health disparities and promoting interventions that improve access to care for all.

Graphic Design by @Devin Williams