Dr. Carter G. Woodson Creates Black History Month

“What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”— Carter G. Woodson

What began as Negro History Week in 1926 was a direct response to the systematic erasure and distortion of Black history in American education and culture. Conceived by historian Carter G. Woodson, the observance was rooted in a clear and urgent mission: to challenge racist and Eurocentric narratives and to affirm the brilliance, resilience, and contributions of Black people throughout history.

Born in 1875 to formerly enslaved parents, Woodson overcame poverty and early labor in coal mines to pursue higher education, ultimately earning a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912. In 1915, he co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History to advance rigorous and accurate scholarship on Black life. A decade later, he established Negro History Week in February, honoring the legacies of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. That effort would eventually evolve into what we now recognize as Black History Month.

Today, Black History Month is more than a reflection on the past. It is a testament to the endurance, strength, and unbreakable spirit of Black communities worldwide. It honors the trailblazers, revolutionaries, and everyday heroes who have shaped history and who continue to push the world toward justice, equity, and truth.

We honor a man who dedicated his life to preserving history at a time when the contributions of Black Americans were dismissed, and whose work remains essential as those contributions continue to be questioned and challenged.

Let us celebrate, uplift, and amplify Black voices, not only this month, but every single day.

#BlackHistoryMonth