Hailey Heseltine
reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com
As February begins, along with it comes the beginning of another notable time—Black History Month.
Black History Month exists as a time to recognize history and culture that has often been historically silenced or less heard and represented in general. The month of February has been officially recognized as Black History Month nationwide since 1976, making 2024 its 48th year.
Its journey to becoming nationally recognized began in the early 20th century, with author and historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, also known as "the father of Black history;" he founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) in 1915.
Dr. Woodson was born to a family of former slaves in 1875. From a young age, he demonstrated an intense passion for gaining knowledge, and though he spent most of his childhood working on the family farm and in coal mines, that passion could not be crushed. He educated himself until he was able to attend high school at the age of twenty, which he was able to graduate from in less than two years. He then began his career as a teacher and principal and decided to advance his education at Berea College in Kentucky, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in literature. Afterward, he lived a very eventful life, traveling the world and furthering his education all the while. He got his master's degree from the University of Chicago and then became the second Black man in history to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. Afterward, he was even able to join Harvard faculty as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Despite his success, Dr. Woodson experienced much injustice firsthand in his career. He noted that it seemed many of his contemporaries in the field of history showed little to no interest in Black history and purposely downplayed the achievements of Black Americans; they were missing the story of an entire people because of their ignorance. Dr. Woodson was determined to make a change, so he founded the ASALH with the specific intention of intensely studying Black history and honoring the accomplishments Black Americans made throughout it.
Part of his vision came into fruition in 1926 with the establishment of Black History Week, which was to be during the second week of each February; the specific week was selected to overlap with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. During this week, Black history would be taught in schools to educate students on the meaningful contributions Black Americans made throughout history, in the hopes of those Americans finally getting recognition for their works. The goal was for that education to carry over into the population beyond just schools as well.
Though Dr. Woodson did not live to see it, as he died in 1950, Black History Week was later officially expanded to become Black History Month in 1976 by President Gerald Ford.
The tradition of Black History Month has continued to this day, as February is set to be a time of increasing awareness of Black history as well as recognizing the accomplishments of those who had not always gotten the recognition they deserved in the past. There are many interesting and meaningful stories to be found within Black history, and learning those stories is an essential part of forming a complete picture of American History as a whole.
During Black History Month, Riverbend News will be highlighting individuals throughout history who have left an impact on our counties in North Central Florida.