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    News
    Staff
    Written By
    Staff
    Published
    8/30/24

    Black History Month

    Celebrating the achievements of Black gamers across the world

    Apart from building the absolute best game we can, Minecraft is also determined to build a better world through the power of play. That’s why we work alongside others who also want to fight inequality and inequity to build a better world. Black History Month is one of the initiatives we’re proud to support each year.

    Celebrated in February, Black History Month holds profound importance when it comes to fostering understanding, acknowledging the struggles and celebrating the achievements of Black people across the world. Here are some of the partners and projects we’ve participated with in the past few years.

    EVENING THE PLAYING FIELD 

    Back in 2020, Black Lives Matter became one of the largest protest movements in US history, with millions of people and organizations supporting the cause. In solidarity, Mojang Studios donated $2 million in 2020 to Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Equal Justice Initiative, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. But our work of denouncing the racism, oppression, and suffering endured by so many for too long doesn't stop there.

    In 2024, we joined forces with BVIG (Black Voices in Gaming). They work to create systemic change in the gaming industry by confronting structural and racist barriers as well as amplifying the work of Black game developers.

    Together, we hosted a Discord stage show and a series of seminars featuring Black developers and industry figures with the goal of educating our audience and Mojang Studios staff on the importance of diversity and inclusion in gaming. In addition, we gave our community the chance to discover and celebrate creators within the Black community, like founder of BlackMinecraft JaneyLaney, founder of Black Voices in Gaming Justin Woodward, and game developer Joe Hooker through a spotlight series across our social channels.

    LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

    Our ongoing Good Trouble series is a set of worlds and accompanying lesson plans that delves into the theme of social justice through immersive learning. In 2023, Minecraft Education teamed up with Atlanta Public Schools educators Natasha Rachell and Felisa Ford to create two new lessons and an engaging build challenge centered on Juneteenth and racial equality. In these lessons, students follow civil rights leader and US Congressman John Lewis on a tour through social justice movements, from the Victorian Suffragettes to Black Lives Matter. To make sure as many learners as possible can access this important content, the world is available for free in the Education Collection in the Minecraft Marketplace. So far, over 2.5 million people have played the Good Trouble lessons. 

    The Good Trouble lessons featuring equal rights advocates Congressman John Lewis, Nelson Mandela, Malala, Doctor Martin Luther King Junior, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, and Emmeline Parkhurst

    DIVERSITY IN AND OUTSIDE THE GAME 

    One of the biggest strengths of the Minecraft community is its diversity, and we strive to reflect that in our game. To better represent our players and help more players see themselves in Minecraft, we extended our selection of default skins in 2022.

    Our incredible Minecraft Marketplace creators are also key in continuing to diversify the Minecraft experience and enable players dive deep into the history and culture of Black people from all corners of the world.

    Kenyan studio Kunta Content made history as the first Africa-based studio to join the Minecraft Marketplace with their skin pack, 'Bankush: An African Experience’. Their unique pack celebrates Africa's rich culture and diversity through a collection of skins depicting African tribespeople through history. The studio's journey was largely nurtured by the Africa Game Dev Program, which helps foster new talent over the continent.

    Six skins depicting African tribespeople through history

    In Minecraft, every voice holds equal value, and by listening to each other’s experiences we can learn a lot. While these are some of the ways we’ve participated in Black History Month in past years, we recognize that the real change comes from our daily actions – both within the gaming industry, and through our games themselves. Through these actions, we continue standing up for and creating positive change for the Black community. We hope that you will also take part in creating that change through your own actions, both big and small.

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