Following the death of his mother, Charles Tatum Jr. began thinking about the women who had helped hold Seattle’s Black community together, and how many of them didn’t receive recognition for their contributions while they were alive.
That reflection eventually led Tatum and longtime Seattle community leader Carl Copeland to create the Black Butterfly Awards, an annual celebration honoring Black women whose work in education, health care, mentorship, culture and community service has shaped generations of Seattle residents.
This year’s Black Butterfly Awards will be held Sept. 26 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute in Seattle. The ceremony will recognize women from across the community, including special lifetime achievement awards for Gertrude Peoples and Charlotte Grady.