Statue of Benjamin Banneker in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. (2020)

February is Black History Month, a time to “formally” celebrate the achievements of Black communities throughout the ages and to honor the legacies of Black leaders – many of whom are too often not given the recognition they deserve in the pages of history books.

With great sadness, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) shares that IEA President Albert J. “Al” Llorens died Thursday, September 26.