Black History Month

"Black History Month" has been celebrated and recognized since 1926, formerly known as the "Negro History Week". Despite the fact that black-Americans have been around since the colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained the respect in the history books.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson
Black History Month was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves. Dr. Woodson spent most of his childhood working in Kentucky coal mines. He enrolled in high school at the age of 20, graduated two years later and went on to earn his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Woodson was very upset to learn that the history of black-Americans was largely ignored in history books. When blacks were noted in the books, it was generally in ways that reflected the inferior social position they were assigned at the time.

Woodsons' Journey
Woodson decided to take on the challenge of writing black history into the history books. He established the Association for The Study of Afro-American Life and History in 1915. In 1926, he launched the Negro History Week. Woodson chose the second week in February because it marked the birthdays of two great men, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, who greatly influenced the black-American population.

There are many books and films that talk about black_American history. There are so many black-Americans who put forth every effort in fighting for their rights. Here are some black-American highlights in history.

Ruby Bridges, first black elementary school child to attend a white school in Louisiana

Shirley Chisholm, (1924-2005) politician, educator and author. first African-American United States congresswoman

Bessie Coleman, (1892-1926) first African-American woman to become an airplane pilot and the first African-American licensed pilot in the world

Shirley Franklin, first female mayor of Atlanta and first African-American woman elected mayor of any major Southern U.S. city

Jesse Jackson, (born 1941), civil rights activist and political leader

Maynard Jackson, (born 1938) first Black Mayor of a southern city

Coretta Scott King, (1927-2006), activist and widow of Martin Luther King Jr.

Rodney King, (born 1965), motorist beaten by police, videotaped by bystander

Ron Karenga, (born 1941), activist, founder of Kwanzaa

Oliver Law, (1899-1937), officer in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, first African American to command white soldiers

Ralph Aberbathy, civil rights leader

Daisy Bates, civil rights leader

Black Panthers, U.S. black militant party

Julian Bond, U.S. civil rights leader

Stokely Carmichael, radical civil rights leader

Kenneth B. Clark, civil rights leader

Medgar Evers, civil rights leader

Merlie Evers-Williams, civil rights leader

James Farmer, civil rights leader

Marcus Garvey, black nationalist leader

Benjamin Hooks, American black leader

Roy Inns, civil rights leader

James Weldon Johnson, civil rights leader

John Lewis, civil rights leader

Little Rock Nine, first black teenagers to attend all-white Central High School

Malcolm X, militant black leader

Thurgood Marshall, lawyer and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

James Meridith, civil-rights leader, author

Kweisi Mfume, U.S. Representative and NAACP CEO

Benjamin Franklin Muhammed, civil-rights and religious leader

Elijah Muhammed, black nationalist leader

Huey Newton, black activist

Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist

Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist

Bobby Seale, black activist

Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights activist

Nina Simone, civil rights activist

C.K. (Charles Kenzie) Steele, civil rights activist

Moorefield Storey, civil rights leader

Mary Church Terrell, civil rights activist

Roy Wilkins, American social reformer and civil rights leader

Andrew Young, African American leader, clergyman, and public official

Black-History Month remains a holiday throughout the world and holds a big part in remembrance for those who sttod up for what they believe in. We could learn alot from history, not just black history but all history. History is a very big important part of this world and should be studied by everyone. You can learn a lot and get a bigger picture of who you are, where you come from, and the people around you. Allthough there are many outstanding names here, there are several others who have also put up the fight to maintain the freedom that blacks have today.