Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as “Negro History Week” and later as “Black History Month,” but, black history had barely begun to be studied-or even documented-when the tradition started. It was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books. We owe the celebration of Black History Month and the the study of black history, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
See other important dates in February concerning Black History:
February 23, 1868:
W. E. B. DuBois, important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born.
February 3, 1870:
The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote.
February 25, 1870:
The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901), took his oath of office.
February 12, 1909:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by a group of concerned black and white citizens in New York City.
February 1, 1960:
In what would become a civil-rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter.
February 21, 1965:
Malcolm X, the militant leader who promoted Black Nationalism, was shot to death by three Black Muslims.
(information from infoplease)
Langston Hughes (1902 ~ 1967)
American poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer & newspaper columnist
Vivien T. Thomas (1910 ~ 1985)
I am proud to be from a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland where Vivien Thomas was a pioneer in the Blue Baby operation and instrumental in the development of the Blalock Clamp. He was Supervisor of Surgical Research Laboratories at Johns Hopkins.
Join in the celebration and read more about black history!
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