First All-Black Team Successfully Summits Mount Everest

Photo Courtesy of Philip Henderson

Members of the all-Black team from Full Circle Everest made history.

On May 12, seven of the group’s climbers summited the world’s tallest mountain and successfully reached the top.

The members of the team include Manoah Ainuu from Bozeman, MT, Evan Green from Albuquerque, NM, KG Kagami from Kenya
Thomas Moore from Denver, CO, Dom Mullins from New York, Rosemary Saal from Seattle, WA and Eddie Taylor from Boulder, CO.

Full Circle Everest shared updates on their historic expedition on Instagram.

In one post, they announced, “I am deeply honored to report that seven members of the Full Circle Everest team reached the summit on May 12. While a few members, including myself, did not summit, all members of the climb and Sherpa teams have safely returned to Base Camp where we will celebrate this historic moment!”
Team Leader, Phil Henderson From their first steps out of Everest Base Camp, @fullcircleeverest

broke new ground. As the first all-Black team to attempt the summit, they brought representation to the highest place on Earth—and into the global outdoor community.”

In a second congratulatory post, they thanked everyone who made the summit dream a reality writing, “The Full Circle Everest Expedition was a success. Every member who took part on the summit push made it to the top.”

The Full Circle Everest Team is a group of climbers whose mission was to “make history as the first all-Black team to attempt to summit the highest mountain on earth,” according to their website.

“In 1963, the first American expedition reached the summit of Everest. That same year Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his historic “I Have A Dream” speech. It took 40 more years for the first Black climber to summit Everest. Still, there has never been an all-Black team to summit the tallest mountain on Earth,” they wrote about their legacy.

Congratulations and here’s to many more successful expeditions!

Aziah Kamari

Aziah Kamari Pless is a writer and content creator with 5+ years of experience in freelance writer, editor and PR roles. A graduate of Florida State University, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English: Editing, Writing and Media. She incorporates her interests in music, fashion, media and entertainment to create versatile and compelling content.