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Black History Month

    Inspired by recommendations from the African American/Black Coaches’ Caucus and in partnership with Wiley College, we have created a series of classroom and tournament resources to celebrate Black History Month. We invite you to commemorate the month in your school or community with our special poster collection featuring speech and debate coaches and alumni! In addition, you’ll find a literature collection featuring works by Black authors and a playlist of videos celebrating Black Excellence.

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    Wiley College

    Poster Series

    Click each image below to view individual posters, or download the complete set.
    Know an alum the NSDA should feature in the future? Email us!

    Black History Month Poster Series
    SOME SAY THAT SPEECH AND DEBATE HAS CHANGED THEIR LIVES, BUT IT’S STILL CHANGING MINE DAY BY DAY. - Jarrius Adams
    Jarrius Adams
    THE BEST PART ABOUT COMPETING IN SPEECH AND DEBATE WAS BEING ABLE TO TELL THE STORIES I WANTED TO TELL. - Kalen Allen
    Kalen Allen
    IN A WORLD THAT TEACHES BLACK WOMEN THAT WE ARE LESS THAN, SPEECH AND DEBATE TAUGHT ME THAT I CAN BE EVERYTHING AND SO MUCH MORE. - Andrea Ambam
    Andrea Ambam
    SPEECH AND DEBATE HAS GIVEN ME THE CONFIDENCE TO ENGAGE MY COMMUNITY, THE DESIRE TO SEE ALL SIDES OF AN ISSUE, AND THE TOLERANCE TO EMBRACE THOSE WHO SEE THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN WAY. - Byron Arthur
    Byron Arthur
    FORENSICS HAS SHOWN ME THAT THIS WORLD IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ME. IF I’M NOT FIGHTING FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S FREEDOM, THEN I MIGHT AS WELL BE IN CHAINS MYSELF. - Jaylon Bolden
    Jaylon Bolden
    IF YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO QUICKLY USE WORDS TO CONVEY YOUR POINT UNDER PRESSURE, OR IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY TO BRING THE ABSTRACT INTO SOMETHING CONCRETE AND RELATABLE... DEBATE. - E. Steve Bolden II
    E. Steve Bolden II
    GROWING UP IN RURAL MISSISSIPPI AND BECOMING NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES I DEVELOPED DURING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SPEECH AND DEBATE OPENED A MULTITUDE OF DOORS, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. - Khaatim Boyd
    Khaatim Boyd
    SPEECH TAUGHT ME THAT MY VOICE IS IMPORTANT. I’VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT MYSELF AND WHAT I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT. FOR THAT, I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL. SPEECH CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE GREATER! - Treya Brown
    Treya Brown
    SPEECH AND DEBATE BROADENED MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD AROUND ME AND DEEPENED MY UNDERSTANDING OF MYSELF AND MY ABILITIES. - Courtney Janine Brunson
    Courtney Janine Brunson
    DEBATE HAS PROVIDED ME A WAY TO PERFORMATIVELY EXPRESS MY IDENTITY AS AN INTELLECTUAL AND HAS GIVEN ME THE COURAGE TO SPEAK MY SOCIAL LOCATION INTO EXISTENCE IN HOPES TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. - Daryl Burch
    Daryl Burch
    I BECAME A PROFESSOR BECAUSE I WANTED TO ENGAGE IN THE KINDS OF INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY THAT I FIRST LEARNED TO LOVE WHILE CUTTING CARDS AND WRITING FRONTLINES FOR POLICY DEBATE. - Brittney Cooper
    Brittney Cooper
    DEBATE IS A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT ONE CAN TENTATIVELY ACCEPT AS FACT EMERGES ABOVE MERE OPINION. - Dr. Tommy J. Curry
    Dr. Tommy J. Curry
    FORENSICS TAUGHT ME THAT I AM NOT ONLY CAPABLE BUT POWERFUL. IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO RESEARCH, HOW TO WRITE, HOW TO ARTICULATE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HOW TO DRESS. - Lyric Davis
    Lyric Davis
    SPEECH AND DEBATE HELPED ME FIND MY VOICE. NOW, I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE MY VOICE TO UPLIFT MY COMMUNITY. - Nefertiti Dukes
    Nefertiti Dukes
    MALCOM X SAID ‘EDUCATION IS OUR PASSPORT TO THE FUTURE, FOR TOMORROW BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO PREPARE FOR IT TODAY.’ HE WAS INDEED RIGHT. SPEECH AND DEBATE IS A MAGNIFICENT WAY FOR STUDENTS TO PREPARE FOR THEIR FUTURE AND OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURES. - Dr. Mike Edmonds
    Dr. Mike Edmonds
    SPEECH AND DEBATE IS A PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS ONE TO TELL THE STORIES OF THOSE THE WORLD OFTEN FORGETS OR IGNORES. - Cornelia Fraser
    Cornelia Fraser
    YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY. YOU SET YOUR OWN HEIGHTS. - Dr. Thomas F. Freeman
    Dr. Thomas F. Freeman
    SPEECH NOT ONLY HELPED ME FIND MY VOICE, IT LED ME TO A PROFESSION WHERE I CAN HELP AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF OTHERS. - Nick Gilyard
    Nick Gilyard
    FORENSICS CULTIVATED A GIFT I DIDN’T KNOW I HAD. THAT GIFT WAS TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE ACCURATE AND HEARTFELT MESSAGES TO DIVERSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. - Austin Groves
    Austin Groves
    SPEECH AND DEBATE MADE ME REALIZE HOW GREAT WORDS AND ARGUMENTS CAN INSPIRE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE. - Rasha Harvey
    Rasha Harvey
    COMPETITIVE DEBATE PROVIDED ME WITH THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAT I RELY ON EVERY DAY AS AN ATTORNEY. - Andre P. Hylton
    Andre P. Hylton
    DEBATE HAS OPENED UP DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY AND EMPOWERED ME TO INVEST IN MY PERSONAL GROWTH EACH DAY. - Ryan James
    Ryan James
    I WOULD’VE NEVER IMAGINED MYSELF AS A SECOND-YEAR LAW STUDENT, A NATIONAL DEBATE CHAMPION, A FIRST-ROUND WINNER, A HISTORY MAKER, A COMMUNITY SERVER, A GAME CHANGER. - Korey Johnson
    Korey Johnson
    WHEN YOU GIVE VOICE TO YOUR THOUGHTS AND GIVE THAT VOICE A LISTENER, REAL LIFE MAGIC HAPPENS. PARTICIPATION IN SPEECH AND DEBATE HELPS ME EQUIP STUDENTS FOR A LIFETIME OF MAGICAL MOMENTS. - Renita Johnson
    Renita Johnson
    SPEECH AND DEBATE TAUGHT ME HOW TO EXAMINE ALL SIDES OF A PROBLEM. THIS MAKES ME A BETTER LEADER. - Norisha Kirts
    Norisha Kirts
    I’D SPENT MOST OF MY TIME BEING RESERVED AROUND PEOPLE UNTIL JOINING THE ACTIVITY. SPEECH AND DEBATE TAUGHT ME HOW TO USE MY VOICE TO MAKE CHANGE AND SHARE MY OWN EXPERIENCES THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE’S WORDS AS WELL AS MY OWN! - Sama'j Lee

    Sema’j Lee

    I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE OUR VOICE AS OUR DRUM TO FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE UNTIL EQUITY BECOMES THE RHYTHM OF THE LAND. - Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.
    Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr.
    SPEECH AND DEBATE TAUGHT ME TO HOW TO THINK, LISTEN, AND SPEAK. TODAY I USE THOSE SKILLS TO EMPOWER OTHERS THROUGH FORENSICS TO IMPROVE THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. - Chad Meadows
    Chad Meadows
    WE ARE SPEECH & DEBATE SPEECH AND DEBATE TAUGHT ME COURAGE, GENEROSITY, AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONG. OUR VOICES ARE WHAT CONNECT US, AND THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS ME TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE. - Jaylon Muchison
    Jaylon Muchison
    SPEECH AND DEBATE IS NOT JUST SOMETHING FUN TO DO ON THE WEEKENDS; IT IS THE FIRST STEP TO CHANGING THE WORLD AROUND US. - Devane Murphy
    Devane Murphy
    Nicole Nave
    FORENSICS HELPED ME BECOME MORE CONFIDENT AND DECISIVE AND PROVIDED ME WITH THE SKILLS I USE EVERY DAY TO MAKE A NAME FOR MYSELF IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD. - Brent O'Connor
    Brent O’Connor
    BECAUSE OF SPEECH AND DEBATE, I UNDERSTAND AND CAN COMMUNICATE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL ISSUES WITH DISTINCT DEPTH AND BREADTH. - Walter Paul
    Walter Paul
    IN A COUNTRY THAT SILENCES MARGINALIZED VOICES, FORENSICS IS A COMMUNITY THAT NOT ONLY ENCOURAGES ME AS A BLACK MAN TO USE MY VOICE BUT EXALTS IT. - Drake Pough
    Drake Pough
    I WOULDN’T BE THE PERSON I AM TODAY WITHOUT THE SKILLS I ACQUIRED FROM DEBATE. - Kristen Pride
    Kristen Pride
    EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY FACET OF MY LIFE, I USE THE SKILLS LEARNED FROM MY TIME IN DEBATE. AS A RESULT, DEBATE IS NOT SIMPLY AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY TO ME, BUT A WAY OF LIFE! - James Roland
    James Roland
    DEBATE IS ONE OF THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE ACTIVITIES I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. DEBATE ALLOWED ME TO NOT ONLY GAIN CRITICAL SKILLS, SUCH AS RESEARCH, ANALYTICAL, AND SPEAKING—IT ALLOWED ME TO GAIN LIFELONG FRIENDS. - Kofi Sam
    Kofi Sam
    LIFE IS ALL ABOUT MOMENTS OF IMPACT, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SPEECH AND DEBATE DID FOR ME WAS GIVE ME A VOICE TO IMPACT OTHERS. - Kiyah Sanders
    Kiyah Sanders
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF HARD WORK. SPEECH AND DEBATE GIVES YOU THE SKILLS TO TELL STORIES AND MAKE ARGUMENTS, TWO THINGS NEEDED TO CHANGE LIVES AND TRANSFORM SOCIETY. - Aaron Timmons
    Aaron Timmons
    BEING ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND ARTICULATE MY VIEWS PREPARED ME WELL FOR LAW SCHOOL AND BEYOND. MY CAREER AS A LAWYER, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, AND NOW MAYOR SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFITED FROM MY PARTICIPATION IN SPEECH AND DEBATE. - Sylvester Turner
    Sylvester Turner
    DEBATE CHANGED MY LIFE BY PROVIDING ME A PATHWAY TO COLLEGE, A NETWORK OF SUPPORTIVE AND LIKE-MINDED COLLEAGUES, AND THE ACADEMIC TOOLS I NEEDED TO REMAIN IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT OF MY EDUCATIONAL DESTINY. - Cameron Ward
    Cameron Ward
    I HONESTLY WOULD NOT BE WHERE OR WHO I AM WITHOUT DEBATE. IT EXPOSED ME TO NEW IDEAS, NEW PEOPLE, AND NEW PLACES WHILE EQUIPPING ME WITH THE SKILLS TO MAKE AND COGENTLY JUSTIFY GOOD DECISIONS. - Melvin Washington
    Melvin Washington
    DEBATE GAVE ME A VOICE AT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I FELT LIKE NOBODY WAS LISTENING. NOW I USE THAT VOICE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OTHERS. - Sarah Carthen Watson
    Sarah Carthen Watson
    I KNOW THAT THERE IS NO CHALLENGE THAT I CAN’T OVERCOME BECAUSE I WAS GIVEN THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED IN MY TIME IN SPEECH AND DEBATE. - Cory Williams
    Cory Williams
    FORENSICS TAUGHT ME THE POWER OF BEING VULNERABLE THROUGH PERFORMANCE. IT GAVE ME THE TOOLS AND CONFIDENCE I NEED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE REAL WORLD. - Darius Wilson
    Darius Wilson
    FORENSICS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN SPEAKING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, A SENSE OF PRESENCE, AND A SENSE OF PRIDE. IT’S ABOUT THE POWER OF WORDS TO INFLUENCE IDEAS, TO UNCOVER A HIGHER TRUTH, TO CHANGE MINDS, AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVEN TO CHANGE LIVES. - Oprah Winfrey

    Oprah Winfrey

    SPEECH AND DEBATE IS A LIFE SKILL, NOT JUST A SPEECH SKILL. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM CHANGES LIVES FOREVER THROUGH WALKING IN THE SHOES OF GIANTS. - Jacci Young
    Jacci Young
    NOT ONLY DID FORENSICS GIVE ME A BEAUTIFUL HUSBAND (DUO PARTNER) AND SON, IT GAVE ME THE STRENGTH OF MIND AND CHARACTER TO BE A WIFE AND MOTHER. THIS ACTIVITY LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. - Jamaka Young-Davis
    Jamaka Young-Davis
    Download All Posters
    More Alumni

    NSDA Poster Template

    You can make your own posters featuring current students, coaches, or alumni from your program! Download the template below and follow the instructions to start creating.

    This resource is provided under the framework of our Honor Society. We ask that you please feature individuals who live by our Code of Honor.

    Get the Template

    Literature Collection

    Looking for literature for a speech event? Check out our collection of works by Black authors, compiled in partnership with Wiley College.

    Black Playwrights and Authors
    View the Literature Collection

    Recruitment and Mentoring

    Group of Black Millennials at Office

    It is not enough for coaches to simply say anyone can join the speech and debate team. Coaches must also actively recruit Black students and foster anti-racist teams. Our NSDA Learn course Engaging and Mentoring Black/African American Students features distinct strategies for engaging and mentoring Black students as a Black coach and as a non-Black coach. Learn to intentionally recruit Black/African American students (and assistant coaches and judges!), create solid parent-coach connections, build an anti-racist team, advocate for students, build equitable relationships, and recognize race while coaching. Members can enroll today for free and take the course at their leisure.

    Group of Black Millennials at Office

    We believe educators featuring topics, themes, and issues that impact an assortment of peoples and our society at large can create more informed global citizens and a space where students feel heard, welcomed, and encouraged to learn. Visit our Diversity and Inclusion page for specific competitive resources to diversify the subject matter at your tournament, classroom, or practice.

    Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
    Celebrate Pride Month
    Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
    Celebrate Women's History Month
    Celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
    Diversity and Inclusion Resources