Molecular Physiology and Biophysics virtual Juneteenth celebration features video, poster with Black scientists in physiology

On June 19th, 1865, now known and celebrated as Juneteenth, enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas, were notified by Major General Gordon Granger and his troop of Union soldiers that the Civil war had ended and they had been freed. Despite the fact that President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect over 2 years earlier, this was not enforced in Texas due to the paucity of Union troops in the state until the arrival of General Granger and his troops.

Today, Juneteenth is a day to celebrate Black freedom and achievement, and to promote reflection and a commitment to further champion equity and anti-racist actions in the U.S. To this end, the Graduate Student Association of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University has researched and put together a poster chronicling the achievements, milestones, and contributions by Black scientists in the field of physiology.

This poster is intended to celebrate Black excellence in the field of physiology and to honor the tremendous hardship that these individuals had to overcome to make these contributions to the field. All of these individuals have defied odds based on adversity that they faced, and have nevertheless persisted in advancing our knowledge of science and in bettering our society. Another common thread throughout the poster is the noble causes these scientists rallied behind, often fighting to increase diversity and lessen racial and socioeconomic divisions and inequities in our society.

In addition, a virtual celebration of Juneteenth, featuring several Vanderbilt speakers and hosted by Andre Churchwell, MD, Vanderbilt University’s Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer.

The direct link to the poster is here: https://cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-web/medschool-wpcontent/sites/64/2021/06/16095938/mpb_poster_for_online.jpg.

The direct link to the virtual celebration video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrN_zaKbDUY.