"For while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us. This is the era of just redemption we feared at its inception." — poet Amanda GormanThat's a topical message for what will undoubtedly be known as a historic year. A pandemic that has killed over 465,000 people — a disproportionate number of them Black Americans. A movement for racial justice that drove thousands to protest for months. A reckoning with history that has prompted the Pentagon to strip Confederate names from bases. It's no wonder the words of poet Amanda Gorman, referencing the musical "Hamilton," struck such a chord with her audience on Inauguration Day. Black History Month is a time we pay tribute to the heroes of U.S. history and recognize the vast contributions they've made to American culture. To showcase their stories, The Washington Post compiled a selection of some of the stories we've published in recent years that represent Black excellence and triumph. | 
