Background/Question/Methods: Racial bias in citizen science has origin in the past. Citizen science includes an array of approaches that broaden engagement in the scientific enterprise to varying degrees. In this overview talk, I draw on literature to explore how have legacies of colonialism and slavery influenced participation in citizen science. Results/Conclusions: From a literature review, I find that the legacies of colonialism shape a racial divide in citizen science mirroring the rift in the environmental movement. Colonialism led to the mainstream environmental movement to protect pristine nature, now supported by contributory-style leisure projects with participation predominantly from wealthy, highly educated white people. Segregation and institutional racism led to the environmental justice movement, now supported by grassroots, community-style projects with participation predominantly from marginalized BIPOC communities. The current professionalization of the field of citizen science simultaneously reinforces and challenges the scientific enterprise. Citizen science has united multiple disciplines with unique roles for projects, platforms, and intermediary organizations focused on environmental and science education, sustainability, and social justice. A next step for the field is to attend to strategic application of the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
