When I sat down to write the outline for the February 08 issue of the magazine back in December, I included a section highlighting the top 25 most influential African Americans. The initial concept was to have a paragraph or two on each person, but as I dug deeper into each of the individual’s lives, I quickly saw that a single paragraph would not do them justice. Therefore, I decided to break the mold and do something no other magazine has done in history.

From here on out, VASSARmagazine.com will dedicate its February Issue exclusively to BLACK HISTORY MONTH. We’re not just talking one or two articles, but the entire magazine. So, beginning with this issue, and continuing with all future February issues of the magazine, we will cover the amazing lives of African Americans and how they have affected our lives and communities.