September 24, 2025
Taylor spent his lifetime promoting and archiving the Black experience.
Dr. Quintard Taylor, a renowned historian specializing in African American history, has passed away at the age of 76.
Taylor was a leading voice in the documentation and promotion of Black history. The educator also founded BlackPast.org, a platform deemed the “world’s largest online encyclopedia” for the subject.
Born in Brownsville, Tennessee, Taylor spent his lifetime in academia, writing novels that centered on the Black American experience. The seasoned professor wrote several acclaimed works, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated “Search for the Racial Frontier: African Americans in the American West, 1528–1990” and “The Forging of a Black Community: A History of Seattle’s Central District, 1870 through the Civil Rights Era.”
In 2007, Taylor launched BlackPast.org as a way for those across the diaspora to learn more accurately and freely about Black history. It has educated over 64 million users, while providing them with the knowledge and resources surrounding this diverse community. Throughout his career, he has also earned several honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild and the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award from the National Education Association and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
Current leadership at BlackPast shared statements on the passing of its founder. They emphasized his empowering vision and leadership that created this groundbreaking platform for Black people.
“His work will live on in the minds of those who have learned from him and will continue to light the way for those who seek a better understanding of the world,” said Douglas Bender, board president of BlackPast, in a press release. “Personally, I’m forever grateful that he was my brother and my friend…and allowed me the incredible opportunity to share in the work that lifted his vision. It has been a joy…and it is not done.”
Remembering his life and legacy stands as crucial as ever, especially at a time when African American history remains under threat of erasure. His successors also hope to ensure the promotion and longevity of BlackPast, highlighting the vital importance of this work to the institutions and communities that honor these records.
“His impact and legacy are immeasurable,” added Dr. Quin’Nita Cobbins-Modica, Taylor’s mentee and vice president of BlackPast.org. “I, along with everyone at BP, am committed to honoring this sacred trust of carrying forward Dr. Taylor’s vision to ensure that Black history remains accessible for generations to come.”
Taylor died peacefully at his home in Houston, Texas. Formal announcements regarding a memorial service will be released at a later date.
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