During the past few weeks of February, you may have seen the words “Black History Month” floating around. Whether it popped up on your Instagram feed, or your teachers mentioned how they are educating themselves on Black history, the phrase should sound familiar. If you’re unfamiliar with what those words mean put together, let’s answer the most basic question you may have: what is Black History Month?
As the title suggests, February is the U.S., Canadian, and U.K. designated month to celebrate Black history. It’s a time that is specially used to appreciate the contributions of Black citizens in history. In the U. S., there is a different theme every year to help diversify how people approach educating themselves during this annual celebration. In 2019, it was “Black Migrations”. In 2020, it was “African Americans and the Vote”. This year, it was “the Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History says about the theme, “The black family has been a topic of study in many disciplines [...] Its representation, identity, and diversity have been reverenced, stereotyped, and vilified from the days of slavery to our own time. The black family knows no single location [...] The family offers a rich tapestry of images for exploring the African American past and present.”
Black History Month, while now celebrated across the nation, first started on a small scale. It started in 1915, when Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded what is now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, or the ASALH. They founded it with the purposes of researching more about the history of Black people, as well as to spread this information. Until that point, there had been very little known about the presence of Black people in history besides the slave trade. To further their organization, Dr. Woodson initiated “Negro History Week” in 1926. It took place during the second week of February, specifically chosen by Woodson because of how it encompassed the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Frederick Douglass was a formerly enslaved Black man who pronounced his views for abolition in his essays, as well as his famous autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Abraham Lincoln, while being a white man, is prominent in Black history for being the President to bring about the emancipation of slaves. The week was not meant to imply that Black history only mattered for a week, but was a specially dedicated time for appreciating it.
Dr. Woodson continued to initiate a variety of ways for people to celebrate the week, ranging from a curated K-12 curriculum for teachers to use, to hosting parades and lectures in communities. As ASALH began to branch out across the country, more and more schools began to adopt “Negro History Week”. In 1969, Kent State University first proposed expanding the week to becoming Black History Month. In 1976, President Ford officially acknowledged the celebration, and in 1986, Congress finally designated February as Black History Month.
It’s incredible how Black History Month has grown to be such an essential part of our American culture. However, let’s take a step further; who was Dr. Woodson and how was he able to ignite the flame of what would become Black History Month?
Carter G. Woodson was born on December 19, 1875 to his formerly enslaved parents. Because of the poverty and size of his family, Dr. Woodson was not able to attend school for a majority of his childhood. However, he was determined to receive an education. After earning money by mining for a few years, he entered Douglass High School at twenty years old. Because he had spent time teaching himself reading, writing, and arithmetic when he could, he was able to receive his diploma in merely two years. He went on to Berea College, where he received his Bachelor of Literature degree. In the following years, he served as a high school principal, traveled to other continents, briefly attended the Sorbonne in France, and returned to university twice. He received his M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1908 and his PhD in history from Harvard University in 1912. This was a huge feat; he was the second Black person to receive a PhD from Harvard, following in the footsteps of W. E. B. DuBois.
Dr. Woodson noticed that there was a noticeable absence of the presence of Black people in the history he both learned and taught. To start remedying this, the ASALH came to life. Originally called the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the ASALH established The Journal of Negro History (now known as The Journal of African American history) in 1916 and The Negro History Bulletin in 1937. Both were created with the intent of publishing and publicizing research done on Black history. Dr. Woodson himself published numerous books, essays, and articles. His most famous book, The Mis-Education of the Negro, was published in 1933.
Not all of Dr. Woodson’s life was spent behind a desk either. Following his creation of the bulletin, Dr. Woodson gave speeches and lectures at schools, events, graduation ceremonies, and celebrations. He taught and served at many schools, from holding the position of Dean at two colleges, serving as a principal to his alma mater high school, to even becoming a school supervisor in the Philippines. His life was tied to his work, to the point that the first floor of his home was dedicated as the ASALH’s headquarters.
Dr. Woodson died in his home on April 3, 1950. While he didn’t have a wife or children, he still became known as a father: the Father of Black History. His legacy continues to live on in our celebration of Black History Month and the way historians now approach researching the presence of Black figures in U.S. history.
Now, if you’re anything like me, then you’re probably a non-Black person who is building your knowledge on Black History. If so, you might be wondering, “How can we as allies of the Black community celebrate Dr. Woodson’s legacy and Black History Month?”
For starters, make sure to celebrate the month! Oftentimes, when Black history is taught, it is taught with connotations of grief, guilt, and horror. While all of these are valid emotions to feel when learning about how Black people have been (and unfortunately continue to be) treated, it is also important to remember that Black History month was created to acknowledge the accomplishments of Black people throughout history. This can be done by appreciating modern Black figures, such as musicians, politicians, and authors. There are also many historical figures that have altered the course of American culture, such as Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, and Langston Hughes.
Another thing you can do this month is listen to and amplify Black voices. While this should be done regardless of what month it is, because the purpose of Black History Month is to celebrate the presence of Black people in history, it is important to allow Black people to dictate how the month is celebrated. Society does not often give Black people the platform they need to have their voices heard. Because of this, check yourself before you decide to voice your own opinion. Is it a matter that requires your opinion as a non-Black person? Is there a Black person around who would pronounce opinions that are similar to yours? Black people don’t need our help to pick the words they need to speak, but they may need the space to have their words heard.
And finally, check your own understanding of Black history. Are there any misconceptions you have about Black people and their contributions to history? Are there holes in your understanding of the role of Black people in our culture? If there’s a Black figure that you’d been meaning to look more into, or a moment in Black history that you’d heard of but didn’t know much about, take this time to read upon it. See what news outlets are covering during the month. Make sure that your appreciation for Black people, while perhaps enhanced during February, is not dependent on what time of year it is.
As February closes behind us and March starts, remember that the new month does not symbolize turning away from Black history. Carter G. Woodson’s reasons for establishing Black History Week was not so that we would only learn and appreciate Black people for one week out of fifty-two in the year, but so that we can use this opportunity to educate ourselves. I hope that you had a good, informative Black History Month, and that we can successfully continue Dr. Woodson’s legacy!
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Cover Art by Ashley Yelin Kang.
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