Meet Carter G. Woodson,The Father of Black History Month

By Yvette Moore
Carter Godwin Woodson was the African American educator, journalist, and historian heralded as the “father of Black history” and creator of Negro History Week, now observed as Black History Month.

This study guide will introduce youth to Carter G. Woodson and examine Mr. Woodson’s own words about the characteristics of good education as well as key indicators of education that disempowers students.

Preparation Prior to class or gathering:
Enlarge and printout the Carter G. Woodson Timeline from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History website at the link in the resource section of this article.
Print out the Carter G. Woodson quotes about education.

Plan on having the youths sit in work groups of 4-5 students.
Plan to give two-three timeline items and two quotes to each working group.

Open with this brief background
Carter G. Woodson was born Dec. 19, 1875, in New Canton, Virginia, to formerly enslaved parents. As a first-generation free man, he was keenly aware of that education was key for Black people to overcome the harms of slavery and excel in life.

He worked in the coal mines of West Virginia before he was able to make his way to Berea College in Kentucky, the first Southern college to be co-ed and racially integrate. He graduated and became a teacher and school administrator. He later earned a graduate degree from the University of Chicago and was the second African American, after W.E.B. DuBois to earn a doctorate degree from Harvard University.

But it was clear to Mr. Woodson that the education he received at these notable institutions either excluded or distorted Black people’s contributions to human advancement—and that correct information was a critical component of education that would empower rather than further harm the masses of Black people newly emerged from slavery.

And so, Mr. Woodson dedicated his life to studying Black people so that he could promote education that would help Black people soar rather than education that would disable us by ignoring our contributions.

Let’s look at how he did this.
Give small groups two to five items from Mr. Woodson’s life timeline and allow them 5 minutes to read and discuss their timeline items.

Give small groups 5-10 minutes to share their timeline items and thoughts about the entries with the larger group. During the discussion, emphasize the following:
1915–Note that the Miseducation of the Negro was Woodson’s first and most widely read book published in 1915 and still in print.

Note that Mr. Woodson also hosted Black history parties to share Black history with people.
Note that Mr. Woodson’s Association for the Study of African American Life and History continues his work, promoting the study and publishing of Black peoples’ history.
1926– Ask the group with Mr. Woodson’s 1926 creation of Negro History Week in their timeline item to share why February was chosen for the commemoration.
Note Negro History Week was observed the second week of February in honor of the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.

Frederick Douglas was a prominent African American abolitionist and statesmen, was born February 1818 enslaved in Cordova, Maryland. His birth date was not known, but he later celebrated his birth on Feb. 14.

Abraham Lincoln was the16th president of the United States who defeat the treasonous Confederate states in the Civil War, which resulted in the end of slavery. He was born February 12, 1809.

Note that Negro History Week, now Black History Month, was not given to us by the U.S. government but was created by Black people for Black people and shared with the nation, which also needed to know about Black contributions to the nation and humanity.

1937—Note that Mary McLeod Bethune was the founder of what is now Bethune-Cookman University, one of the Historically Black College & Universities in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Note that before Woodson died April 3, 1950, in Washington, DC, he had written more than 100 newsletters, books, and journals about the Black history and founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which continues to promote research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.