BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Globally know and officially recognized in US and CA as a month where the achievements and contributions to the world of African diaspora are celebrated.
It started with Harvard Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson when he joined forces in 1915 to establish “The Association for the study of negro life and history” (today known as “The association for the study of African-American life and history”) as he witnessed how black people were under represented in history books and conversations that shaped the study of American history. This eventually led to the launch of Negro History Week in 1926 to promote the study of black history in schools, university’s and the black community.
” If a race has no history or tradition it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world and stands in danger of being exterminated”
- Dr. Carter G. Woodson –
In 1976 the week was officially recognized as a month in the USA.
It now serves to shine a bright light on how black people throughout the years have contributed in history in a positive way, as well as educating about a reoccurring narrative of not sharing events of violence where white people were the aggressors.
For example the race riots in 1943 in Detroit, riots by mostly white people destroying black property and establishments and killing black people.
While the riots of 1967 ( The Detroit Rebellion) by mostly black people are more widely thought of and mentioned in history books.