02/17/2023
As we celebrate Black History Month, we at Catalysis reflect on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. While we know notable figures often spotlighted during Black History Month, we’ve made it a goal to dig deeper and recognize those who have helped shape our world’s technology, creative, and how we live our day-to-day lives.
Each Friday this month, we’ll be highlighting a few historical figures that you may not know, but absolutely should. This week’s theme is PNW LEADERS:
Dr. Dolores Silas moved to Tacoma in 1953, settling in the Hilltop neighborhood that she would call home for the rest of her life. She was one of the first Black teachers in the Tacoma Schools, the district's first Black principal, and the first Black woman to be elected to the Tacoma City Council. In a life dedicated to education and the pursuit of social justice for all Tacomans, she also served as president of the Tacoma NAACP and worked with the Hilltop Multi-Service Center, the Tacoma Urban League, the Black Collective, and the Tacoma Human Rights Commission. On February 11, 2021, the Tacoma School Board of Directors voted unanimously to rename the 61-year-old Woodrow Wilson High School in Dr. Silas’ honor.
William Grose was an African-American pioneer of Seattle. He was that city's second black resident, and the wealthiest nineteenth-century member of Seattle's black community. His ranch on the former outskirts of town, along East Madison Street, eventually became the center of Seattle's black middle class. Grose, an early pioneer, entrepreneur, founder, and hotelier helped build the foundation to make Seattle one of the wealthiest cities. The Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT) transformed the decommissioned Fire Station 6 into a technology center dedicated to helping mold Seattle’s next generation of tech developers, creative professionals, and future entrepreneurs—The William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation & Enterprise.