Happy #BlackHistoryMonth . Each day in February, we're recognizing a member of the Black community within gaming, from ground breaking achievements to influential pioneers.
One of the first Black game designers, Jerry Lawson, “the father of modern gaming”, led the development of the first game cartridge in the 1970s. Lawson's work changed gaming forever, as consoles made playing games an at-home experience.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Since going viral with #INeedDiverseGames in 2014, Tanya DePass ( @cypheroftyr) has worked to improve representation in the games industry through support of marginalized creators and her work as a consultant, speaker, panelist, & in games development.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Ed Smith, one of the first Black engineers in gaming, led design of the MP1000, an early hybrid combining console and PC. Conscious of opportunity gaps, he sometimes gives free consoles to Black families in his hometown of Brooklyn, NY.

#BlackHistoryMonth
. @Reggie, the former President of Nintendo of America, in his 13 years at the helm, blended an optimistic and fun approach to launching & promoting the company’s consoles from the Wii to the Switch, with a savvy that made him a memorable fan favorite.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Dr. Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, AKA Sammus ( @sammusmusic) is a rapper, podcaster, professor, and audio designer. With art as Afrofuturism, she examines intersections and experiences of Blackness, feminism, and of course, games, including a Metroid-inspired album.

#BlackHistoryMonth
The first Black woman to serve as the CEO of an esports organization, Nicole Lapointe Jameson ( @totheLaPointe) has led Evil Geniuses since 2019. Working to reinvigorate and diversify the EG audience and its teams, the org has grown into a new chapter.

#BlackHistoryMonth
The Sims has a diverse community but hasn’t always reflected it well. Amira “Xmiramira” Virgil ( @Xmiramira), a Black Simmer whose mods enabled dozens of skin and hair choices, helped lead EA to officially add more diverse options & hired her to advise.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Lisette Titre-Montgomery ( @zette16) turned her love of games and art into her career. Starting as a character modeler in 2001, she has worked on 13 shipped titles and is currently the Art Director at Double Fine.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Morgan Gray has designed games for two decades, with work on XCOM, Star Wars, as a producer on the Tomb Raider series, and lead on Marvel’s Avengers. He has sought to better representation in characters and narratives.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Marcus Montgomery ( @marcusingames) is a veteran games designer with work across a variety of titles and genres. He is also the creator of @WeAreGameDevs, a site spotlighting diverse creators in games.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Jay-Ann Lopez ( @jayannlopez_) started @blackgirlgamers as a community where Black women could support one another, and connect. A visible community with over 7,000 members, Black Girl Gamers showcases different members’ streams on its Twitch channel daily.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Hailing from Chicago, Jeannail @Cuddle_Core Carter stands out in the FGC as a pro on the Tekken circuit with Equinox Gaming. Giving back through charity streams and community work, she's one to watch.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Kahlief Adams ( @Kahjahkins) is a creator and co-host of @SpawnOnMe, a notable podcast spotlighting POC in the games industry. His work as a speaker, community manager, and host has shined a spotlight on underrepresented people and projects in the industry.

#BlackHistoryMonth
Gerard @HipHopGamer Williams has blended his love for games, hip hop, sports, and entertainment into an enduring career covering all as a journalist, host, and artist for @HOT97 and beyond.

#BlackHistoryMonth
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