Apple recently announced a new collection that they’ve created in honor of the upcoming Black History Month.
In a press release released on Wednesday, the tech company said that they’re going to release “exclusive content and curated launches” in honor of Black culture. Known as this year’s “Black Unity Collection,” the special releases will be available amongst all facets of the Apple company, including Apple Music, Apple Books and Apple News.
While Apple Music is set to spotlight Black trailblazing creatives in honor of hip hop’s 50th birthday, Apple Maps has partnered with The Smithsonian to highlight special places that are connected to the civil rights movement.
Meanwhile, Apple News is set to spotlight stories about the Black experience and Apple TV is set to offer films chosen by Dr. Jelani Cobb, New York Times writer and dean of Columbia’s University of Journalism, in honor of the “The Matter of Black Lives” theme.
Apple also announced that they’ll be releasing a new Apple watch in honor of the month. Part of the “Black Unity Collection,” the Black Unity Sport Loop was created by the company’s Black community and features red, green and black coloring to represent the Pan-African flag. The word “Unity” is embedded into the watch’s band. The new Apple update to iOS 16.3, which launched yesterday, features a wallpaper similar to the new watch known as the “Unity” wallpaper.
The new releases by the tech company come as part of its collaboration with the creators of the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, a company effort that works to further BIPOC communities by increasing academic, financial and artistic opportunities.
For this year’s project, Apple worked alongside creatives from a variety of organizations, including the National Museum of African American Music, Shout Mouse Press and Music Forward, amongst others.
“We are all accountable to the urgent work of building a more just, more equitable world — and these new projects send a clear signal of Apple’s enduring commitment,” said CEO Tim Cook in a statement when the program first launched in 2021.
“We’re launching REJI’s latest initiatives with partners across a broad range of industries and backgrounds — from students to teachers, developers to entrepreneurs, and community organizers to justice advocates — working together to empower communities that have borne the brunt of racism and discrimination for far too long.
Previous collaborators of the media and tech company that took part of the REJI program include Michigan State University, VC firm Harlem Capital, Siebert Williams Shank’s Clear Vision Impact Fund and The King Center.
