Why February? The True Origin of Black History Month

For decades, the history of African Americans was largely absent from school curricula in the United States. At the beginning of the 20th century, in a context marked by segregation laws and systemic discrimination, the contributions of Black communities were ignored or even distorted.

School textbooks often presented a biased view, reducing Black history to degrading stereotypes. Slavery was sometimes described as a “benevolent” institution, while the Reconstruction period was attributed to a supposed inability of formerly enslaved people to govern.

Born in 1875 in Virginia, the son of former slaves, Carter Godwin Woodson grew up in poverty. Forced to work from a very young age, he did not begin school until he was 20.

This delay, however, did not hinder his ambition. In just two years, he earned his high school diploma, became a teacher, and then a school principal. Driven by an exceptional thirst for knowledge, he continued his studies and obtained a doctorate in history from Harvard University in 1912, becoming one of the first African Americans to reach this level.

It was during his studies that he became aware of a major problem: the near-total absence of African American history in academic programs.

Deeply shocked, Woodson understood that this invisibility contributed to maintaining psychological oppression. He later wrote:

“If a race has no history, if it has no tradition worthy of being passed on, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world.”

Convinced that education is a weapon against racism, he decided to dedicate his life to restoring historical truth.

In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the first national organization dedicated to this field. The following year, he launched the Journal of Negro History, offering researchers an unprecedented space to publish their work.

In February 1926, Woodson launched Negro History Week, an initiative aimed at popularizing African American history among the general public, particularly students.

The choice of February was not random: it coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two major figures in the fight against slavery.

The principle was simple: for one week, schools, churches, and organizations would host conferences, exhibitions, and educational activities. The success was immediate. Thousands of teachers participated from the very first edition.

In the 1920s, while segregation was institutionalized and racial violence persisted, promoting Black history was a deeply political act. Woodson provided teaching materials, trained educators, and collected testimonies from former slaves. In doing so, he created an entire field of study while making this knowledge accessible to the general public.

Over the decades, Negro History Week gained importance. Despite the Great Depression and World War II, it remained a key moment to highlight the legacy of resilience among African Americans.

After Woodson’s death in 1950, his work continued to expand. In the 1960s, the civil rights movement amplified the demand for broader recognition of Black history.

In this context, the celebration evolved. Universities, such as Kent State University, began extending the event to a full month.

In 1976, during the American bicentennial, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, inviting citizens to acknowledge “the too often neglected achievements of Black Americans.”

Since then, every American president has renewed this recognition. The initiative quickly spread beyond the United States. Canada officially adopted the celebration in 1995, while the United Kingdom has observed it since 1987. Other countries, such as Ireland and the Netherlands, have also followed.

Today, Black History Month highlights major figures such as Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, and Katherine Johnson.

But beyond the celebrations, it remains an essential educational tool. It helps confront historical realities—slavery, segregation, systemic racism—and understand their current impacts.

Despite progress, the full integration of African American history into school curricula remains incomplete. Contemporary debates on history education show that Woodson’s vision is still in the process of being realized.

His ambition went beyond a week or a month. He envisioned a society where this history would be fully integrated, taught, and recognized throughout the entire year.

The legacy of Carter G. Woodson reminds us that a determined individual can transform the perception of an entire nation. Without significant resources or major political support, he initiated a movement that became global.

Every current celebration bears witness to this vision. As Woodson emphasized, history is not just a record of the past, but a tool to understand the present and build the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34aLyIlL7Dw