5 Random Things About Carter G. Woodson

Illustrated bio of Carter Woodson from 1943 (Click to Enlarge)

You’re probably wondering who Carter G. Woodson is, and you are right to do so, as he’s not as well-known as other African-Americans. However, his place in history is undeniable, for it is Woodson who founded Black History Month. Well, to be accurate, he founded Negro History Week, but the Week was eventually expanded to a full month. Woodson found the exclusion of black history from most textbooks to be a travesty, and he devoted his life to promoting the idea that the history of the black race is more than just of slavery and oppression. For his work, he is considered the Father of Black History. Here are 5 facts about Carter G. Woodson.

1. Carter G. Woodson earned his Ph.D in History from Harvard University, becoming only the second African-American to do so.
2. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in 1915.
3. Woodson founded The Journal of Negro History, which is still in publication today as The Journal of African-American History.
4. Woodson was a regular columnist for Marcus Garvey’s weekly publication Negro World.
5. Woodson wrote possibly his most well-known work, The Mis-Education of the Negro, in 1933. Here’s a great quote from that book, which speaks not just to black people, but to human nature, in general:
   

   “When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.”

Bonus: Carter Woodson’s home is on the National Register of Historic Places. However, it has been vacant since the early 1990s and as such is listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “11 Most Endangered Historic Places.” Visit the NTHP website to learn how you can help save the home of the Father of Black History.

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