#asnlh

[petervintonjr]

Ever wonder just how we got a Black History Month? Thank Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson: scholar, author, and historian --whose birthday we celebrate today. Born December 19, 1865 in Virginia to formerly-enslaved parents, Carter showed an early aptitude for languages and overcame incredible odds to graduate from Berea College (KY) in 1903. He then went on to become a languages teacher in the Philippines on behalf of the U.S. War Department, a role which also saw him traveling throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe. In 1907 he attained an M.A. in History, Romance languages, and Literature from the University of Chicago; at that time also becoming a member of the then-new Sigma Pi Phi (ΣΠΦ) fraternity. In 1912 he received his doctorate in History from Harvard University --becoming only the second Black student to ever earn a Ph.D from that school (the first being W.E.B. Du Bois --see Lesson #1 in this series). While working towards his doctorate, Woodson taught languages in high school in Washington, D.C. --his dissertation, The Disruption of Virginia, was based on research that he was able to conduct at the Library of Congress. The dissertation concluded, in part, that the role of Black people in American history and in the history of other cultures, was being systemically misrepresented --or ignored outright-- among scholars.

Woodson's career stalled for a time after securing his Ph.D --no university would hire a Black man, which certainly tended to vindicate his findings! He eventually became principal of the Black Armstrong Manual Training School in Washington D.C., and later became a professor at Howard University, ultimately serving as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 1915 was a transformative year for Woodson --not only did he publish his first book, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861, but also co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), which would become a lifelong commitment; in his words, to "treat the records scientifically and to publish the findings of the world" in order to avoid "the awful fate of becoming a negligible factor in the thought of the world."

Eschewing government grant money, Woodson relied solely on funding from Black communities and philanthropic organizations, and in 1926 the ASNLH launched Negro History Week --selecting the second week of February to coincide with the respective birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (and also coincidentally the founding of the NAACP). The annual event was aimed at inspiring high schools nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs, and to host guest performances and lecturers; a goal which continues to this day with its expansion to now incorporate the entire month of February. Throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s, Woodson traveled all across the country, speaking at countless high schools and colleges but being particularly in demand for graduations and during the month of February. In 1933, Woodson published his last (nineteenth!) and perhaps most enduring book: The Miseducation of the Negro, and in 1937 he started The Negro History Bulletin as a resource for children and schoolteachers. Dr. Woodson died very suddenly of a heart attack in 1950, having never married nor fathered any children, but is rightly recognized today as The Father of Black History.

[filosofablogger]

Black History Month -- Carter G. Woodson

This is a reprise of a post I last shared during Black History Month in 2023 about a man named Carter G. Woodson, the initiator of ‘Negro History Week’, the precursor of Black History Month.  This year is a strange one, as our current government is trying to completely erase the words ‘diversity’, ‘equity’, and ‘inclusion’ from the nation’s vocabulary.  In years past, presidents have fully…

[blackstarlineage]

Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950) was a pioneering historian, educator, and journalist known as the “Father of Black History.” He was one of the first scholars to recognize the importance of documenting and promoting African American history, laying the foundation for what would become Black History Month. His work challenged the racist narratives that marginalized Black contributions to civilization and emphasized the necessity of self-education and historical awareness in the fight for racial justice.

Born to formerly enslaved parents in Buckingham County, Virginia, Woodson understood the power of education as a tool for liberation. Despite facing severe economic hardships, he pursued his studies with determination, eventually earning a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University in 1912, making him one of the first African Americans to achieve this distinction. However, he quickly recognized that mainstream American education ignored, distorted, or erased Black history, reinforcing white supremacist ideology.

To counter this, Woodson dedicated his life to researching, preserving, and teaching the true history of Black people, both in America and across the African diaspora. In 1915, he co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), which later became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The organization focused on promoting scholarly research about Black history and countering the Eurocentric biases in historical narratives.

In 1926, he launched Negro History Week, which later evolved into Black History Month, to ensure that the achievements and struggles of Black people were recognized and celebrated. He also founded and edited the Journal of Negro History, a groundbreaking publication that provided a platform for Black scholars to present their research. His most famous book, The Mis-Education of the Negro (1933), argued that the American education system deliberately taught Black students to see themselves as inferior and unworthy of leadership, keeping them mentally enslaved to white institutions.

Woodson believed that historical awareness was essential for racial empowerment. He insisted that Black people must take control of their own narratives, create their own institutions, and educate their children about their true heritage. He rejected the idea that Black people should seek validation from white historians and instead called for the independent development of Black scholarship.

His work laid the foundation for modern Black Studies programs and inspired future generations of historians, activists, and educators. Woodson’s legacy continues to remind Black people that controlling their history is key to controlling their future, reinforcing the importance of self-determination, knowledge, and unity in the struggle for liberation.

[theafroamericaine]

Black History Month

Black History Month first originated as Negro History Week by the Godfather of Black History Carter G. Woodson in 1926. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) chose the second week in February to commemorate the birthdays of American historical figures Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. Woodson believed it to be crucial to teach about African-American history in schools and to celebrate the race as a whole. Negro History Week fought against harmful myths associated with Black life dating back to slavery, that argued enslaved people were satisfied with their subjugation and were better off in that position. Black newspapers and churches supported the movement by lending important literature and securing more publicity. The week focused on countless Black men and women who contributed to American society in every way and taught true American history.

“We are going back to that beautiful history and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.” - Carter G. Woodson

“From literature the African was excluded altogether. He was not supposed to have expressed any thought worth knowing. The philosophy in the African proverbs and in the rich folklore of that continent was ignored to give preference to that developed on the distant shores of the Mediterranean.” -  Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro 1933

The Black History Month we know of today is due to the Black educators and students of Kent State University, the month was first proposed in February of 1969; their celebration took place a year later from January 2 to February 28, 1970. The observance of Black History Month spread throughout the nation and in 1975, former U.S. President Gerald Ford issued a Message on the Observance of Black History Week External to "recognize the important contribution made to our nation's life and culture by black citizens." 

In 1976, ASALH expanded this commemoration of Black history in the United States from a week-long observance to Black History Month, which also has been known as African American History Month. In the same year, President Ford issued a Message on the Observance of Black History Month External. In subsequent years, presidents continued to issue messages External honoring Black History Month. In 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99-244, which designated February 1986 as "National Black (Afro-American) History Month.” This law noted that February 1, 1986 would “mark the beginning of the sixtieth annual public and private salute to Black History.” The law further directed the president to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe February 1986 as Black History Month with the appropriate ceremonies and activities. President Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 5443 External, which proclaimed that “the foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity.” This proclamation stated further that this month was a time “to celebrate the many achievements of African Americans in every field from science and the arts to politics and religion." Since 1996, presidents have issued annual proclamations for National Black History Month. In January 1996, President Clinton issued Presidential Proclamation 6863 for “National African American History Month." The proclamation emphasized the theme for that year, the achievements of Black women from Sojourner Truth to Mary McLeod Bethune and Toni Morrison. Since 1996, Congress has regularly passed resolutions honoring Black History Month. In February 1996, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 229 commemorating Black History Month and the contributions of Black American U.S. Senators." - Sourced from Library of Congress

Photo Credit: becauseofthem

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

[cartermagazine]

Today In History

Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, was born in New Canton, VA, on this date December 19, 1875. Woodson had worked as a sharecropper, miner and various other jobs during his childhood to help support his large family. Though he entered high school late, he made up for lost time, graduating in less than two years. After attending Berea College in Kentucky, Woodson worked in the Philippines as an education superintendent for the U.S. government. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Chicago before entering Harvard. In 1912, three years before founding the ASNLH (Association for the Study of Negro Life and History).

Dr. Carter G. Woodson became the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard University after W.E.B. Du Bois.

Woodson believed that young African Americans in the early 20th century were not being taught enough of their own heritage, and the achievements of their ancestors. In 1921 Woodson started his own publication the Associated Publishers Press and housed it at his row house on Ninth Street in Washington D.C. He then turned to his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, who helped create Negro History and Literature Week in 1924.

In February 1926, Woodson sent out a press release announcing the first Negro History Week. As early as the 1940s, efforts began to expand the week of public celebration of African American heritage and achievements into a longer event. In 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the first Negro History Week, the Association officially made the shift to Black History Month.

Woodson dedicated his career to the field of African American history and lobbied extensively to establish Black History Month as a nationwide institution. He wrote many historical works, including the 1933 book The Mis-Education of the Negro.

We honor Dr. Carter G. Woodson legacy through CARTER™️ Magazine, extending his vision for making African American history available for everyone 365 days a year.

CARTER™️ Magazine

[lboogie1906]

Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson (December 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950) was born to poor, yet land-owning, former enslaved in New Canton, Virginia. He hired himself out as a farm and manual laborer, drove a garbage truck, worked in coalmines, and attended high school and college at Berea College, from which he earned a BL. He taught African American youth in West Virginia. He worked in the Philippines under the auspices of the US War Department. He traveled to Africa, Asia, and Europe and attended the Sorbonne. He received an MA in History, Romance languages, and Literature from the University of Chicago. While teaching, he earned his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University.

In 1915, he published his first book, The Education of the Negro Before 1861, and co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1916, he singlehandedly launched The Journal of Negro History, now The Journal of African American History. In 1918, he published A Century of Negro Migration and became the principal of Armstrong Manual Training School. He was the Dean of Howard University’s School of Liberal Arts and he served as a dean at West Virginia Collegiate Institute. In 1921, he published The History of the Negro Church and founded the Associated Publishers, Inc. He became active in Black organizations like the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Friends of Negro Freedom, and the Committee of 200.

He purchased a three-story, late-nineteenth-century Italianate-style row house in DC, that became his residence as well as the office for the Associated Publishers, Inc. and the national headquarters of the ASNLH. In 1926, he launched Negro History Week. He relied on African American communities throughout the country to maintain his organization’s activities. He created The Negro History Bulletin mainly for children and schoolteachers and throughout the 1930s and 1940s he spoke at countless elementary and high schools, Negro History Week events, and at the graduation ceremonies for many HBCUs. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #sigmapiphi #omegapsiphi

[reasoningdaily]

Gannonknight: Black History Month: A month-long observance of Black greatness

The month of February is known as Black History Month in the US. During this month, the nation observes the remarkable history of the extraordinary Black men and women who contributed to the development of the nation as we know it today.

The month of February is a time for Black Americans and others to celebrate and recognize the achievements of their ancestors and to give a spotlight to the many prominent Black figures who were pioneers in numerous industries that are not normally celebrated otherwise.

Every year Black History Month is assigned a theme. This year (2024) the theme is “African Americans and the Arts” according to The Oklahoman. Previous themes have been, Black Resistance (2023), Black Health and Wellness (2022), The Black Family, (2021), African Americans and the Vote (2020), and Black Migrations (2019) to name a few.

Today, we have the privilege to celebrate Black History for the entire month of February, but when the celebration first started it was only one week. In 1924 Harvard-trained, American historian and author, Carter G. Woodson, later nicknamed “the father of Black history” wanted to designate a specific time to research and educate the community about the achievements and accomplishments of Black Americans, according to NPR.

Woodson believed young Black Americans were not adequately taught about their heritage in this country and believed that Black history was something that should be studied and taught more extensively in the average school curriculum.

With the goal of education in mind, Woodson would partner with his fraternity Omega Psi Phi, to create the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), according to History.com. The ASNLH, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), would promote “Negro History Week” to be observed the second week of February within public schools and some other educational organizations.

As word spread and racial tension in the country pressed on, many more schools and education groups would adopt the concept of Negro History Week. Around the 1940s the incentive to extent Negro History Week was already brewing.

It was not until 1976 when the ASALH would openly start to advertise Black History Month, which would be observed institutionally during the entire month of February. The month was first recognized by the government that same year by President Gerald Ford who encouraged the public to acknowledge the achievements of their Black counterparts and to properly accredit the accomplishments of the Black Americans.

So, why the month of February? This month was not picked at random. Woodson chose the month of February as the month to observe Black history for two reasons. First, the birthday of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is on February 12. This is significant because during Lincoln’s presidency he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that “all free persons held as slaves” in the rebellious south “are, and henceforth shall be free,” according to National Archives. Second, Black History Month is held in February because, African American abolitionist, author, and orator, Frederick Douglas marked February 14 as his birthday.

Both Douglas and Lincoln were central figures in Black history, and they have been celebrated for their efforts and contributions to Black history and civil rights in the US. For these reasons Woodson believed that February was the appropriate month to observe this history.

Today, Black History Month is one of the nation’s oldest organized celebrations of history. Other countries around the world including the United Kingdom and Canada have established their own forms of Black History Month, also observed in February.

Many historians and observers believe that Black history is not something that should only be celebrated in February, and even Woodson agreed. The impact of Black Americans over the course of the history of the United States and the rest of the world is felt regularly. Being aware of the amazing triumphs that specifically Black Americans have made in areas such as music, business, literature, technology, fashion, language, and the arts is something that the world should celebrate all-year-round.

[slightly-misguided]

A Brief Look Into Black History Month

A Brief Look Into Black History Month

I had the pleasure of writing this for my jobs corporate morning meeting as part of the Inclusivity and Diversity Committee (IDC) and thought it would be great to share with you all as well. Enjoy! Black History Month – A Brief History thanks to the editors at History.com Before it was Black History Month it was Negro History Week and was established way back in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson.…

[madamlaydebug]

Honoring OUR WARRIORS...!!!

BLACK HISTORY 365 Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson (born December 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950) was a historian, author, journalist & the founder of the Association for the Study of African-American Life & History.

Dr. Woodson was one of the first scholars to study African-American history. A founder of The Journal of Negro History in 1916, Woodson has been cited as the "father of Black history". In February 1926, Dr. Woodson launched the celebration of "Negro History Week", the precursor of Black History Month.

The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the (ASNLH) Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be "Negro History Week". This week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on February 12 and that of Frederick Douglass on February 14, both of which dates Black communities had celebrated together since the late 19th century.

Every February since 1976, the United States has celebrated the achievements of African-Americans during Black History Month.

It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated in February in the USA and Canada while in Ireland, and the United Kingdom it is observed in October.

“Black History Month” is an annual observance originating in the USA, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

[filosofablogger]

Black History Month -- Carter G. Woodson

Today is February 1st and, as such, is the first day of Black History Month, celebrated in the U.S. throughout the month.  For literally centuries Black people have been sold into slavery, abused, brutalized, and murdered for no reason other than the colour of their skin.  The saddest thing of all is that in this, the 21st century, there are still large numbers of people who believe that Black…

[ausetkmt]

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

Origins of Black History Month

The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent.

READ MORE: The Man Behind Black History Month

Scroll to Continue

Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.

In the decades that followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing "Negro History Week." By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, "Negro History Week" had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses.

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more. 

Black History Month 2023 Theme

Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme.

The Black History Month 2023 theme, “Black Resistance,” explores how "African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings," since the nation's earliest days. 

READ MORE: Black History Milestones

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Black Women Leaders

[mimymomo]

For @miss-sweetpotato,

Black History Month for Beginners

Okay, so there a LOT more of black history and I don’t have time to cover all of it but here’s some basic facts on important Black figures in history and just the month in general! I’m gonna try to avoid obvious things like MLK or Rosa Parks because info on them is everywhere.

Black History Month is basically a celebration of black individuals and our achievements and heritage.

Black History Month initially started out as Black History Week back in 1926 by the group the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) now know as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), which was founded by historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland in 1915

Black History Month has been recognized as on official month since 1976 by president Gerald Ford, although many college campus had been celebrating Black History Month for years prior to this

Black History Month usually has a theme to go along with the month: this years theme is “African Americans and the Vote” to celebrate the anniversary of the amendments that allow women to vote (19th in 1920) and black men to vote (15th in 1870)

Slavery first came to North America in 1619 and wasn’t abolished in the USA until 1865, however black Americans weren’t given equal rights until another 100 years later with the rise of the Civil Rights Movement

The case of Brown v. Board Of Education on May 17, 1954 made segregation of schools illegal in the United States.

Emmett Till, a 14 year old boy, was brutally beaten and shot and killed while visiting relatives in Mississippi by 2 white men after he allegedly made a flirtatious remark at a white women in a store which was against Jim Crow racial codes (Jim Crow laws were basically a bunch of racist codes that segregated black and white Americans). The men were acquitted of murder charges and even admitted what they did to Till in a Time magazine article. Tills death help sparked the civil rights movement in Alabama.

Barack Obama was not the first Black American who tried to run for president! That honor goes to New York representive Shirley Chrisholm in 1972!

Affirmative Active- no jobs, schools, etc can discriminate against a persons color, race, religion or sex, or nation background as only been around since 1976 in the USA!

The fight of police brutality against black Americans is not a recent issue and has been an ongoing battle for years. In 1992, there were riots in Los Angles, California over an incident involving police officers violently beating a man, Rodney King, for speeding and allegedly resisting arrest. When the riots ended, around “55 people were dead, more than 2,300 injured, and more than 1,000 buildings had been burned. Authorities later estimated the total damage at around $1 billion” (history.com)

Black Billionaire, Robert F. Smith, in 2019 agreed to pay off the entire graduating class (around 400 all-male African Americans) of Morehouse University’s student loan debt!!

I hope this helped with some insight on black history in the United States!

[oberlincollegelibraries]

Weekend Edition: Books on BLM Reading Lists

February is Black History Month, which was created by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as "Negro History Week." Here are a few title suggestions, but if you'd like to find your own, try searching Google for "Black Lives Matter reading list" or check out Oberlin College Libraries' Anti-Racism Social Justice guide!

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

The founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama recounts his experiences as a lawyer working to assist those desperately in need, reflecting on his pursuit of the ideal of compassion in American justice.

What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir In Essasys by Damon Young

For Damon Young, existing while Black is an extreme sport. The act of possessing black skin while searching for space to breathe in America is enough to induce a ceaseless state of angst where questions such as "How should I react here, as a professional black person?" and "Will this white person's potato salad kill me?" are forever relevant. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker chronicles Young's efforts to survive while battling and making sense of the various neuroses his country has given him. It's a condition that's sometimes stretched to absurd limits, provoking the angst that made him question if he was any good at the "being straight" thing, as if his sexual orientation was something he could practice and get better at, like a crossover dribble move or knitting; creating the farce where, as a teen, he wished for a white person to call him a racial slur just so he could fight him and have a great story about it; and generating the surreality of watching gentrification transform his Pittsburgh neighborhood from predominantly Black to "Portlandia . . . but with Pierogies." And, at its most devastating, it provides him reason to believe that his mother would be alive today if she were white. From one of our most respected cultural observers, What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker is a hilarious and honest debut that is both a celebration of the idiosyncrasies and distinctions of Blackness and a critique of white supremacy and how we define masculinity

Colored No More: Reinventing Black Womanhood in Washington, D.C. by Treva B. Lindsey 

"This project examines New Negro womanhood in Washington, DC through various examples of African American women challenging white supremacy, intra-racial sexism, and heteropatriarchy. Treva Lindsey defines New Negro womanhood as a mosaic, authorial, and constitutive individual and collective identity inhabited by African American women seeking to transform themselves and their communities through demanding autonomy and equality for African American women. The New Negro woman invested in upending racial, gender, and class inequality and included race women, blues women, playwrights, domestics, teachers, mothers, sex workers, policy workers, beauticians, fortune tellers, suffragists, same-gender couples, artists, activists, and innovators. From these differing but interconnected African American women's spaces comes an urban, cultural history of the early twentieth century struggles for freedom and equality that marked the New Negro era in the nation's capital. Washington provided a unique space in which such a vision of equality could emerge and sustain. In the face of the continued pernicious effects of Jim Crow racism and perpetual and institutional racism and sexism, Lindsey demonstrates how African American women in Washington made significant strides towards a more equal and dynamic urban center. Witnessing the possibility of social and political change empowered New Negro women of Washington to struggle for the kind of city, nation, and world they envisioned in political, social, and cultural ways."--Provided by publisher

Blood At the Root: A Racial Cleansing In America by Patrick Phillips

"A gripping tale of racial cleansing in Forsyth County, Georgia and ... testament to the deep roots of racial violence in America ... Patrick Phillips breaks the century-long silence of his hometown and uncovers a history of racial terrorism that continues to shape America in the twenty-first century"-- Provided by publisher

The Early Black History Movement, Carter G. Woodson, and Lorenzo Johnston Greene by Pero Gaglo Dagbovie

The men who launched and shaped black studies This book examines the lives, work, and contributions of two of the most important figures of the early black history movement, Carter G. Woodson and Lorenzo Johnston Greene. Drawing on the two men's personal papers as well as the materials of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), Pero Gaglo Dagbovie probes the struggles, sacrifices, and achievements of these black history pioneers. The book offers the first major examination of Greene's life. Equally important, it also addresses a variety of issues pertaining to Woodson that other scholars have either overlooked or ignored, including his image in popular and scholarly writings and memory, the democratic approach of the ASNLH, and the pivotal role of women in the association.

[lboogie1906]

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is an organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of African-American History. It is a non-profit organization founded in Chicago, on September 9, 1915, and incorporated in DC on October 2, 1915, as the ASNLH by Carter G. Woodson, William B. Hartgrove, George Cleveland Hall, Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps. The association is based in DC ASNLH and was renamed the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.

ASALH’s official mission is “to promote, research, preserve, interpret, and disseminate information about Black life, history, and culture to the global community.”

ASALH’s official vision is “ to be the premier Black Heritage and learned society with a diverse and inclusive membership supported by a strong network of national and international branches to continue the Woodson legacy.”

ASALH created Negro History Week in 1926. Woodson selected the week to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Each year, Woodson established a national theme for the celebration. Since 1976, ASALH extended the celebration for all of February.

The organization publishes The Journal of African American History and the Black History Bulletin. ASALH established the ASALH Press, reissuing Carter G. Woodson’s Mis-Education of the Negro. The same year ASALH established The Woodson Review, a magazine that promotes its Annual Black History Theme, including it as part of its Black History Kit. ASALH discovered an unpublished manuscript by its founder, Carter G. Woodson, and published it in a special edition as Carter G. Woodson’s Appeal: The Lost Manuscript Edition.

ASALH is a membership organization with over twenty-five branches. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[reasoningdaily]

Milwaukee Independent: Reggie Jackson: The little-known history of Black History Month

“Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” – Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month

“The foremost purpose of Black History Month is to make all Americans aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity. It is also a time to celebrate the many achievements of Blacks in every field, from science and the arts to politics and religion. It not only offers Black Americans an occasion to explore their heritage, but it also offers all Americans an occasion and opportunity to gain a fuller perspective of the contributions of Black Americans to our Nation. The American experience and character can never be fully grasped until the knowledge of Black history assumes its rightful place in our schools and our scholarship.” – President Ronald Reagan, Proclamation 5443, National Black (Afro-American) History Month, 1986

Ever since more than 200,000 Black men joined the Union Army and Navy, helping to turn the tide of the U.S. Civil War in favor of the Union, leading to the end of legal slavery, and freeing the nearly four million enslaved Black people, we have celebrated our journey and our progress as a people.

In 1915, fifty years after emancipation, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, was in Chicago with thousands of other Black people looking at exhibits celebrating Black life. While attending this event he decided on September 9, 1915 – along with several colleagues – to form the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, as a way to promote the scientific study of Black life and history.

The following year he published the first Journal of Negro History. Woodson wanted to keep up the tradition of celebrating our people, which was done consistently each year after slavery ended. In 1924, Woodson and his fraternity brothers from Omega Psi Phi, created Negro History and Literature Week. They later renamed it Negro Achievement Week.

Two years later Woodson sent out a press release announcing Negro History Week in February 1926. He picked February to take advantage of the celebrations by Blacks around the country for the lives of Frederick Douglas on February 14 and Abraham Lincoln on February 12, during the week of their births. He asked people around the country to: organize their communities for the celebration, appeal to their boards of education to adopt textbooks on Negro History, raise funds to purchase books related to Negro history for local schools and libraries, and gather documents on their family history to share, organize local chapters of the ASNLH.

This celebration was a continuation of efforts to acknowledge the progress we made as a people since gaining freedom from slavery. In 1937 the great educator, Mary McLeod Bethune, suggested that Woodson establish the Negro History Bulletin which would document our history and offer an annual theme for the celebration. As a result of these efforts, teachers demanded materials for their schools, and cities across the country issued proclamations acknowledging Negro History Week.

Schools across the South expanded their efforts to teach Black history. Freedom schools established during the Civil Rights Movement taught specific courses on Black history. As Blacks discarded the use of the term Negro, the celebration was changed to Black History Month. In 1976 Black leaders advocated for extending the celebration for the entire month of February, as was already being done in several cities. For the first time ever, U.S. presidents issued proclamations endorsing Black History Month.

Finally in 1986, a joint effort in both houses of Congress came about to acknowledge the importance of Black History Month. President Reagan issued Proclamation 5443 on February 24, where he spoke about why Black History Month is important to all Americans.

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the first formal Negro History Week celebration, it is important that we acknowledge the work of Dr. Woodson, the second Black person to receive a doctorate degree from Harvard, and keep in mind that Black History is American History.

We live in a time where far too many people are attempting to scare us into eliminating this history being taught in our schools. We cannot stand for such foolishness. We must be ever vigilant to not erode the progress we have made over decades. I celebrate our history 24 hours a day, 365 days each year because I am so proud of the community that I come from.

The trials and tribulations of Black people show our resilience and why we should be celebrated for our contributions to this country. Let us not treat it like Black Trivia Month, as far too many do in my opinion. We have so much to gain from taking pride in the work we have done to move the country toward those original ideals of the Founding Fathers, even if we have been denied membership in that world for far too long.

If President Reagan, a very conservative Republican, very publicly advocated for Black History Month, there is no reason current GOP members cannot have the same reverence for Black history.

“Black history in the United States has been a proving ground for America’s ideals. A great test of these ideals came with the Civil War and the elimination of slavery. Another test came a century later, in the struggle for practical recognition of the rights already won in principle—the abolition of legalized segregation and second-class citizenship.” – President Ronald Reagan, Proclamation 5443, National Black (Afro-American) History Month, 1986

“There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honoring our struggle and ancestors by remembering.” – Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month