A Musing Collective: Black Apiculture

Apiculture also known as beekeeping is the science and practice of maintaining and caring for bee colonies, more specifically honeybees. Beekeepers or Apiarists produce products to sell such as honey, beeswax, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and bee venom. Each having a key role in agriculture. Without apiculture there is no agriculture.

Historically, honeybees have always been a symbol for hard work and dedication in many cultures including Black Culture. Apiculture has always played a significant role for Black and African Americans. According to an article written by Earth in Color, a lot of our traditions and beekeeping have been lost overtime, until the Tuskegee Institute added beekeeping to their curriculum. Margaret Murray Washington was the Dean and Educator for the Tuskegee Institute now known as Tuskegee University.

In the year 1892 Margaret Murray Washington founded the Lady Beekeeper Club. This was designed to promote vocational education and practical skill building for African American Women. The goal is for African American Women to have not only practical skills in Alabama but economic independence as well. Apiculture is still including in Tuskegee University's curriculum in agriculture.

Unfortunately, many practices and records about Black Apiarists are undocumented leaving a huge gap in the significant role enslaved Africans contributed to the United States agriculture. Black Americans are a huge part of agriculture so it only makes sense that apiculture would be included in as well. Due to the lack of documentations of Black Beekeepers, it leads to a lack of representation as only less than 2% of Apiarists identify as Black. The more we diversify apiculture, the more diverse agriculture becomes that can benefit everyone especially locally.

So, if you have been wanting to go into beekeeping, give a try! I'm kinda curious about what a beekeepers day looks like. Maybe in the future i'll visit one and take a tour. I may have to get rid of my fear for bees lol but, the role they play is so crucial to our survival. If you have a local bee farm that is selling products go check it out! If you have already, what was your favorite part of the farm? Did you get to taste anything? Has anyone tasted royal jelly before and what does it taste like? I'll hive more stories for you soon!🐝