Bay State Banner Features Taneshia Nash Laird’s Black History Month Op-Ed

Boston, MA — February 27, 2025 — The Bay State Banner has published an op-ed by Taneshia Nash Laird in its Black History Month special edition, titled “Preserving Black Stories: We Continue to Rise.” In this piece, Laird reflects on the importance of documenting Black history and the ongoing efforts to preserve and celebrate Black narratives.

Laird discusses her collaboration with her late husband, Roland Laird, on the books Still I Rise: A Cartoon History of African Americans and its updated edition, Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans. She emphasizes the role of community institutions like the Bay State Banner in amplifying Black voices and stories. The op-ed also highlights actionable steps for readers to support Black media, invest in economic empowerment, and engage in preserving oral histories.

Read the full op-ed here: Preserving Black Stories: We Continue to Rise

Taneshia Nash Laird serves as Executive Director of Project REAP, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing opportunities for professionals of color in commercial real estate through education and industry engagement. She is also an Associate Professor in the Africana Studies Department at Berklee College of Music, where she teaches “Entrepreneurship in Black Creative Expression.”

About the Bay State Banner
Founded in 1965, the Bay State Banner is Boston’s leading African American newspaper, committed to reporting news and events that impact the city’s Black community. For nearly six decades, it has served as a vital platform for advocacy, culture, and community voices.