| Dr. Carter G. Woodson saw that black education was | | | | forbidden to speak their African languages, taught that |
| riddled with voids. Woodson is the Father of Black | | | | their African culture was evil until they learned to |
| History Month and the second African American to | | | | believe the lie, who have had and still have the most |
| receive his PhD from Harvard University. By 1915, he | | | | negative images that permeate American society, |
| took upon himself the task of filling those voids of | | | | within the last thirty or so years, have made the |
| knowledge that black people lacked about themselves. | | | | conscious decision to leave, almost in its entirety, the |
| In 1926, Woodson established an annual week-long | | | | history of their culture and their American experiences |
| celebration of black history, then known as Negro | | | | in the hands of those who have the most to gain by |
| History Week. The week he chose in February fell on | | | | destroying it-proponents of Western/American |
| the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham | | | | educational systems. |
| Lincoln, men whom we have learned to associate with | | | | Now, I ask you, today, whose fought is it that too |
| the ending of slavery. In 1976, this week of celebrating | | | | many of our children not only don't know their history, |
| black history was expanded to the entire month of | | | | but don't want to know it? |
| February. We celebrate black history month in | | | | In 1933, Dr. Woodson saw this problem coming 100 |
| February because Woodson, son of a former slave, | | | | miles down the road. He foreshadowed it, laid it out, |
| chose that month, not because it is the shortest month | | | | and told us what to do to prevent it. Just read his The |
| in the year. | | | | Mis-education of the Negro. He said, "The only question |
| In celebrating Black History Month, we should | | | | which concerns us here is whether these "educated" |
| remember that there is still serious work to be done. | | | | persons (Negroes) are actually equipped to face the |
| We should consider that school textbooks and | | | | ordeal before them or unconsciously contribute to their |
| programs only briefly mention blacks in American | | | | own undoing by perpetuating the regime of the |
| history or barely mention Africans in world history. In | | | | oppressor." |
| Fact, according to Dr. John Henrik Clarke, through | | | | Woodson knew that the power of a people lies in their |
| racism, African history-that is, most of world history, | | | | understanding of who they are and their ability to pass |
| has been systematically edited out of our education. | | | | this knowledge down to their young. In other words, |
| This is precisely the reason Woodson established | | | | your history is your network of roots that plant you |
| Negro History Week. In 1926, this was a radical idea. | | | | firmly on your foundation so that you can stand strong |
| The curriculum of education for black people had been | | | | and tall with your head held high. No one can knock |
| left in the hands of whites where it still remains today. | | | | you off of such a foundation. |
| Do you not see anything wrong with this? | | | | Without studying your history, who will remember your |
| In this country, both American and East Indians, Jews, | | | | mother, your grandfather, and the rest of your |
| Asians, Arabs, Hispanics, and Caucasians, groups that | | | | ancestors? Without valuing your history and passing |
| each still speak in their own languages, for the most | | | | down a tradition for studying it, who will remember you |
| part, do not leave the education of their children entirely | | | | when you are gone? Perhaps the best reason to |
| in the hands of another culture; yet, African Americans | | | | celebrate black history month is to celebrate how |
| whose ancestors were forbidden an education, | | | | much you value yourself. |