This year's commemoration of Black History Month is of particular significance. That’s because it marks a century of recognizing Black people’s contributions to the country.
In 1926, what was then known as Negro History Week was established to foster and popularize knowledge about Black Americans' past.
Fifty years later, the annual observance evolved into Black History Month.
Negro History Week was the brainchild of Dr. Carter G. Woodson. In 1915, he, along with several colleagues, founded the Association for the Study of African American Life & History to promote the scientific study of Black life and history.
Every year, the association declares a theme for Black History Month celebrations. This year, the theme is: “A Century of Black History Commemoration: 50 Years of Negro History Week, 50 Years of Black History Month.”
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead is the organization’s national president. She talked to WUWM Race & Ethnicity Reporter Teran Powell about the early days of the association, and the evolution of Black History Month.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead: The mission of the association is to be that bridge between those that are studying and researching and writing about history on an academic level and our brothers and sisters who are living the history out in the community, right? Between people and academicians. And so the association began to pull communities together in terms of looking for a place that was protecting, promoting and preserving our history.
By 1926, Doctor Carter G. Woodson really believed that he needed to put some structure around the celebrations that were already happening in our community.
The Black community was already celebrating the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, Feb. 12, and they were celebrating the birthday of Frederick Douglass, the chosen birthday, which is Feb. 14. That was actually set aside by Mary Church Terrell two years after the death of Frederick Douglass, and she said we have to make sure we're remembering him because he is in danger of being forgotten, within the kind of the white man's telling of our history.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson put structure around it and launched Negro History Week in 1926. Since then, it's been celebrated every single February, moving from Negro History Week to Black History Month, when Black History Month received an official proclamation from the White House in 1976 under the Ford administration.
So we're saying here at the century, 50 years of Negro History Week, 50 years of Black History Month, and we are still doing the work to protect, promote and preserve Black history.
Teran Powell: You mentioned President Gerald Ford recognizing Black History Month for the first time in 1976. What do we know about getting to that point?
So I know that when you look at the pressure that was being put on President Ford, it was about finding a way to ensure that this was recognized by the country. We understand that in communities across the country, if it wasn't for the official proclamation, there are communities that probably wouldn't talk about it at all.
You understand that it comes from the White House. It also gives federal government agencies and state government agencies the financial support they need to host Black History Month programs.
So there was pressure put on him, but it was also the year of the bicentennial. So if there was ever a year to push forward with Black History Month and the proclamation, that was the best year.
Talk more about what those early celebrations looked like and kind of how they evolved over time — the Black History Month celebrations.
So the early celebrations of Negro History Week happened in community centers, happened in churches, happened in some classrooms around the country.
Doctor Woodson launched both the Journal of Negro History, which is now the Journal of African American History, he did that in 1916, and he launched the Black History Bulletin, which was then called the Negro History Bulletin in 1926, which included lesson plans and resources for teachers.
So it wasn't just 'Go and celebrate Negro History Week.' It was, here are the materials that you need to make sure that it happens. Doctor Woodson was really intentional about making sure that people had what they needed to do the celebration and to do the work and I think that is something that is important to note, that he really made sure that people, teachers, family members, pastors, churches had the information that they needed to celebrate.
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