Carter G. Woodson

Carter Godwin Woodson (December 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950) was a pioneering African American historian, author, and scholar who profoundly influenced the study and preservation of Black American history. Born in Virginia to formerly enslaved parents, Woodson earned his doctorate in history from Harvard University, becoming only the second African American to do so. In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which became instrumental in documenting and celebrating Black contributions to American society. Recognizing the systematic exclusion of African American history from mainstream education, Woodson created Negro History Week in 1926—held during the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln—which evolved into Black History Month in 1976. He authored numerous groundbreaking works, including 'The Mis-Education of the Negro' and 'The Negro in Our History,' challenging prevailing historical narratives. Woodson's scholarly rigor, organizational vision, and unwavering commitment to Black historical preservation established him as the father of Black history studies and remain foundational to contemporary African American historiography and education.