Black History Month

Founding Father of African-American History

Black History Month

Batina Jombuni, Staffer

Carter G. Woodson was the founder of Negro Week in February 26, 1926. Which after several years, became Black History Month

According to biography.com, he was born in 1875 in New Canton, Virginia. He was the fourth of seven children among his siblings. Woodson worked as a sharecropper and a miner to help his family.

He went to school in his late teen years and proved to be an excellent student; he completed a four-year course within two years.

After attending Berea College in Kentucky, he worked with the U.S. Government as an education superintendent. He also earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s at the University of Chicago and went an to receive a doctorate from Harvard University in 1912.

Although he became the second African-American to receive  his Ph.D, he got involved with African-American . He worked hard to make sure that the past  History  was taught  in schools and studied scholars

In 1915, Woodson helped found the Association for the study of Negro Life and History, which later became the Association for the study of African-American Life and History.

In 1921, he also formed the African-American-Owned Associated Publishers Press. He wrote dozens of books throughout the years; ‘A Center Of Negro Migration’ “(1918),” ‘The History Of The Negro Church’ “(1921),” ‘The Negro In Our History’ “(1922),” ‘Mis- Education Of The Negro’  “(1933)” and many more.

Black History Month was created when Woodson lobbied schools and organizations to participate in a special program to encourage the study of African-American History. The program later expanded and was renamed as Black History Month.

Many wonder why Black History Month occurs in the shortest month of February. Woodson chose February to honor the birth months of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln.

In order for him to help teachers, Woodson created the “Negro History Bulletin” in 1937 and penned literature for elementary and secondary schools.

Today, Carter G. Woodson is honored for his effort and known as the Father of Black History Month.