Black History Month
Celebrating the history of African Americans
Ceville Bailey
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Campus
February is Black History Month. It is important to continually celebrate the many different cultures and backgrounds that have contributed to this great nation, February is a time to acknowledge the many great things African Americans have done to enrich our country.
Americans have annually recognized these contributions since 1926. However, this annual tradition originally began as "Negro History Week." At the time this tradition began, the roles African Americans played in our nation's history was not well documented or studied. At the time, history books had little information about African American history, and what little information was present primarily focused on the inferior social stigmas assigned to African Americans during these early periods.
The origination of this annual tradition can be attributed to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a Virginia native, born in 1875. Woodson, a son to former slaves, graduated high school at age 22 and continued his pursuit of higher education, earning a PhD from Harvard University in 1912.
Woodson was un-happy with the lack of documentation and misrepresentation of African American history. As quoted by Woodson, "If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated." In light of this, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, in efforts to promote and preserve African American history and culture.
To bring recognition and appreciation to the African American community, Woodson launched Negro History Week in 1926, which later evolved into Black History Month in 1976. Woodson chose the second week in February, between the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, who lent much to the African American civil rights movement.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate our nation's African American roots, culture, and heritage.
Americans have annually recognized these contributions since 1926. However, this annual tradition originally began as "Negro History Week." At the time this tradition began, the roles African Americans played in our nation's history was not well documented or studied. At the time, history books had little information about African American history, and what little information was present primarily focused on the inferior social stigmas assigned to African Americans during these early periods.
The origination of this annual tradition can be attributed to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a Virginia native, born in 1875. Woodson, a son to former slaves, graduated high school at age 22 and continued his pursuit of higher education, earning a PhD from Harvard University in 1912.
Woodson was un-happy with the lack of documentation and misrepresentation of African American history. As quoted by Woodson, "If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated." In light of this, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, in efforts to promote and preserve African American history and culture.
To bring recognition and appreciation to the African American community, Woodson launched Negro History Week in 1926, which later evolved into Black History Month in 1976. Woodson chose the second week in February, between the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, who lent much to the African American civil rights movement.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate our nation's African American roots, culture, and heritage.
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