159k views
5 votes
Why did carter g woodson start black history month?

2 Answers

2 votes

Final answer:

Carter G. Woodson started Black History Month to highlight the contributions and achievements of black Americans and challenge miseducated views held by both white and black Americans.

Step-by-step explanation:

Carter G. Woodson, known as the 'Father of Black History,' started Black History Month to shed light on the contributions and achievements of black Americans throughout history. Woodson recognized the importance of including black perspectives in the study of history, especially at a time when academic studies of slavery were dominated by Southern whites. He sought to challenge the miseducated views held by both white and black Americans by providing a platform to showcase the rich history and culture of African Americans.

User Triangle
by
8.1k points
2 votes
Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American historian, scholar, and educator, founded Black History Month, also known as National African American History Month, in February 1926. Woodson started Black History Month as a way to raise awareness about the important contributions of African Americans to American history and to challenge the prevailing notion that African Americans were not an integral part of American history.
Woodson believed that the systematic exclusion of African American history from the historical narrative was a major factor in the ongoing marginalization of African Americans in American society. He wanted to bring attention to the rich and diverse history of African Americans and to promote a more inclusive and accurate understanding of American history.
Woodson chose February for Black History Month because it coincided with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two important figures in African American history. The first celebration of Black History Month was held in February 1926 and was a week-long event that featured lectures, concerts, and other activities designed to highlight the contributions of African Americans to American history.
Today, Black History Month is recognized as an important time to celebrate and reflect on the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout American history.
User Benjamin Arvola
by
7.4k points