Marcus Harden is a lifelong student of love, legacy, and liberation. A passionate educator, mentor, and storyteller, he has spent over two decades uplifting the brilliance of those often left out of the history books—especially young men of color and the everyday heroes who quietly shape our communities. Born and raised in South Seattle, Marcus recognized history-makers in his barbershop, classroom, and neighborhood long before he saw them in textbooks.

That early awareness sparked a mission: to honor the unseen, elevate the unheard, and teach the unspoken truths living in our families, faith communities, and frontline workers. In 2018, he launched Black History Today—a movement-turned-exhibit celebrating unsung Black leaders, rooted in love, gratitude, and collective memory. Marcus is a proud University of Washington graduate and a devoted uncle/father to six remarkable young men—a living legacy of love and promise. He mentors many more, walking in gratitude for his parents, Brenda and Charles Harden, and the village that molded him: the elders, aunties, uncles, cousins, and chosen family who believed in his light from the beginning.

Marcus lives with the conviction that history is not only remembered—it’s made, moment by moment, through lives touched and love embodied. With every lesson taught and story honored, he carries the truth that history lives here—in us, around us, and because of us.