Editor’s note: During the month of February Brownwood News will be presenting interviews with Black Community Leaders in Brownwood in honor of “Black History Month.” It is not to segregate Black History into a single month, as Black History should rightly be interwoven into American History. However, we feel this is an excellent opportunity to lend a voice to the Black Community in our area and share just a few of their stories.
Understanding the Origins of Black History Month
Black History Month originally began as “Negro History Week,” initiated by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) in 1926. The association was founded in 1915 by Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland
In 1926 the ASALH selected the second week of February in honor of the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass to commemorate Negro History Week.
Frederick Douglass was born a slave, and escaped at age 20. He later became a prominent American abolitionist, author and speaker. Douglass called the Civil War in 1861 a moral crusade against slavery. During the war he served as a propagandist of the Union cause and emancipation, a recruiter of black troops, and an adviser to President Lincoln.
With the Civil Rights Movement in late 1960s, Negro History Week evolved into Black History Month. President Gerald R. Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Several videos and articles about Black History Month can be found on www.history.com/topics/black-history
Black History Month has often been the subject of criticism, with the argument that it is unjust to devote an entire month to a single people group. Others contend Black history should be studied and celebrated throughout the entire year as American history. It can be said, however, that when we observe Black History Month, we give our community an opportunity to learn about the diverse and rich history of our nation.
READ: Five Reasons You Should Celebrate Black History Month by Jemar Tisby
Black History Month is an opportunity to learn about the many forgotten and underappreciated figures who have also had an impact. Every February we often hear about the achievements and accomplishments of famous black people: Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, etc. Black History Month is also an opportunity to learn about lesser known black heroes, such as Robert Smalls, an African-American born into slavery who became a ship captain, and freed himself, his crew and their families from slavery on May 13, 1862. Or to learn about Claudette Colvin, who was 15 years old on March 2, 1955, when she was dragged from a Montgomery bus by two police officers, a full nine months before Rosa Parks’ famous arrest.
Black History Month is also a chance to get to know black leaders in our own community, hear their stories, and celebrate their lives. It is those local stories on which we will focus throughout the month of February on Brownwood News.
