Black History Fact No.7: The Father of Black History

(In the fall of 1995, the city of Huntington erected a statue in honor of Dr. Carter G. Woodson)

The son of former slaves, Carter Godwin Woodson understood the importance of gaining a proper education. He did not begin his formal education until he was 20 years old, however that did not stop him from being dedicated to continuing his education after he received his high school diploma. He went on to earn a bachelor and master's degrees from the University of Chicago a few years later. Woodson became the second African American to earn a PhD at Harvard University in 1912. The now Dr.Woodson began recognizing the amount of information on the accomplishments of blacks that did not have anything to do with slavery. Prior to this time, most people thought that people of color had done little in history outside of slavery. In 1915, Dr. Woodson founded the Association of the Study of Negro Life and History, which is now known as the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

This Association established the Journal of Negro History (1916) and the Negro History Bulletin (1937). For Woodson this was not enough and in 1926, he initiated the celebration of Negro History Week which corresponded with thte birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. (Note: February was the month chosen and not the month given to black people just because it was the shortest month!) This week celebration was expanded to the entire month in 1976 and is now known as Black History Month!

"When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his "proper place" and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary."
- Dr. Carter G. Woodson, "The Miseducation of the Negro"