In 1912 Dr. Carter G. Woodson, also known as "the Father of Black History", became the second Black person to graduate from Harvard University with a Ph.D., following in the footsteps of sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois. Armed with his education, Woodson dedicated his life to ensuring that the historic contributions of Black Americans were included in school curriculums across the nation. In 1915 he founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) with a mission to "promote, research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate information about Black life, history, and culture to the global community".
In the summer of 1915, Woodson joined thousands of African Americans who journeyed from every corner of the United States to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the abolishment of slavery. Enamored by this three-week event, Woodson went on to establish Negro History Week on the second week of February 1926. He envisioned this as an opportunity to shine more light on the contributions of African Americans to the infrastructure and culture of the US. He selected this week while considering that Abraham Lincoln's birthday fell on February 12th, Frederick Douglas' fell on February 14th, and both men were traditionally celebrated for their contributions to black liberation. Woodson was weary of the lauding of Lincoln as a hero to enslaved people considering that the 16th US president openly and actively opposed the abolition of slavery except as an economic punishment to Union states. Nonetheless Woodson saw the existence of these celebrations as an anchor from which people could further expand their knowledge of African American history. It was imperative that people got more acquainted with the struggles of the oppressed which truly granted their own freedom, and the captivating cultural wealth that holds strong in the African American community.
As the annual tradition and popular awareness of the global African diaspora grew, the ASALH stretched the tradition from one week to an entire month. In 1976, 50 years after the initiation of Negro History Week, Gerald Ford became the first president to issue a Message on the Observance of Black History Month. Today, Black History Month is frequently referred to in official literature as African American History Month.
In 2025, the ASALH pays homage to African Americans in Labor as the theme for black history month. African American labor - "free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary" - has molded the core for the American workforce since the country's infancy. The mobility of African Americans in the workforce and on the civil rights front provides a sturdy base of support in the constant struggle for the benefit of all US citizens who enjoy their rights. It is a true testament to the beauty of solidarity among people who forge a path to excellence against the odds in all global communities.
Take some time to visit the ASALH website to learn more about Black History Month and how you can engage with the making and preservation of Black history year round!
See also:
The ZINN Education Project, Founded by Howard Zinn and his student William Holtzman, is an excellent organization dedicated to the teaching of people's history. Visit the Zinn Education Project's website to explore an ever growing collection of global history that is often left out of classroom textbooks.
Stop by Frisco Public Library to check out these titles on the subject of Black culture and history:
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