THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES IN THE
MARTIN LUTHER KING BELOVED COMMUNITY
CARTER G. WOODSON
HISTORICAL PAPER
Mentor
Introduction
African American males continue to endure several challenges in contemporary American society. While many of these challenges arise from the long-held stereotypes and misconceptions of African Americans dating back to slavery days, they still impact their overall development and wellbeing.[1] These stereotypes and misconceptions are major social and economic indicators of African American male development and quality of life. Though the stereotypes are inaccurate, they have become deeply ingrained in people’s belief systems. They influence people’s decisions in relation to specific situations, social settings, and relationships where African Americans are involved. These stereotypes facilitate discrimination, educational and economic outcomes, and biases against the community. They limit opportunities for African Americans.[2] As a result, many activists, writers, and politicians throughout history have strived to push for a better understanding of African Americans to eliminate barriers to their empowerment and development. Carter G. Woodson is one of the activists and writers that made tremendous contributions towards the empowerment of the African American male. Known as the father of the Black History Month, Woodson’s writings influenced perceptions of Americans towards African Americans and increased interest in learning African American history, culture, and beliefs.[3] Drawing from Woodson’s writings and the findings of other scholars, this paper explores the contributions of Carter G. Woodson towards the empowerment of African American males.
Background to the Study
African American male empowerment is bridled with many challenges. Many of these challenges are outcomes of low educational development within the community. Statistics indicated that for many years, African American students scored lower achievement scores compared to other racial groups.[4] Historically, African Americans were more likely to be placed in classes of students with mental or learning disabilities. Overcoming such challenges will be essential in creating opportunities for African American males to develop widespread solution-oriented approaches of confronting, confirming, and mitigating the racial disparities among students in the United States. In line with Woodson’s argument, it is important for investment in research on access to education, racial disparities in access to opportunities, and mentoring programs that can empower African American males to climb the ladder of social progress in the current United States society.[5] This paper is, therefore, ideally designed for educators, policymakers, scholars, and students to seek coverage on issues that influence African American male success within different educational and life-related contexts.
Many scholars, such as Pero, Stuckey, and Woodson have highlighted the need for the great emphasis on African American history and creating greater awareness of their successes as part of their empowerment programs. They argued that understanding the history of African Americans could inspire African American males to pursue bigger goals in their personal lives and professions. Understanding history could also motivate other races to show concern and acknowledge the contributions of African Americans in the United States history. Consistent with this argument, Carr suggested a unique and innovative model of empowerment to promote advocacy of African American issues.[6] The proposed model should prioritize education as the catalyst of the empowerment process among African Americans. The model will, therefore, guide the self-presentation of the people within the society. Whereas empowerment of a community encompasses improving their well-being and helping them to attain their human needs.
Additionally, social justice should be a core pillar of empowerment efforts. The social justice pillar in empowerment programs should be based on equality of economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. Promoters of the empowerment programs for African American males should aim to enhance access and opportunities for everyone, especially those in greatest need. It should also encompass economic justice programs.[7] According to King et al, it is vital to increase the awareness of the impact of stereotypes on African American males and highlight the historical overview of these stereotypes and how they combine to deny them their rights and facilitate inequalities in education and employment, and so on.[8] To address the problem of these stereotypes, Woodson pushed for greater learning and understanding of the history of African Americans in the United States. He helped in the establishment of the field of Black American history and wrote many books and journal articles that contributed immensely to the black research field.[9]
Carter Gordon Woodson was the son of Anne Eliza Riddle and James Henry Woodson. He was born in New Clinton, Virginia. Anne and James were slaves in Buckingham County. James descended from two of the enslaved people on the property, though their names were unknown.[10] Compared to other enslaved people, Woodson further had greater autonomy and worked in the property as a carpenter. He was one of the hired slaves who could be sent out by their slavers to work for money which went to the slaver. Though he had some autonomy, Woodson’s father was believed to be rebellious and endured several beatings. On the other hand, his mother, Anne Riddle was the daughter of Henry and Susan Riddle from an adjacent plantation. Anne and James met at Buckingham County after he returned from freedom and were later married in 1867. James bought land and they lived free for the rest of their lives. In his writings, Woodson credited his parents as a huge influence in his values of courage, perseverance, and determination. His parents also taught him about selflessness and resilience.[11]
As the son of former slaves, Woodson had in-depth insights into how African Americans were perceived for several years. He highlighted that it was important for the people to get new knowledge of African Americans and learn about the stereotypes and the ideas which were inconsistent with the real lives of the African American people. Despite the many challenges, Woodson strived to become an esteemed and groundbreaking historian who started the Negro History Week which was the precursor for Black History Month. Today, Black History Month is celebrated every February throughout the United States.[12] It is a month where the achievements of the African Americans are honored and the role they play in the history of the nation is recognized. During this month, African Americans can take time to reflect on the courses that the earlier generations before them pushed. Without the historical insights of people, such as Woodson, Black History Month would not have happened.
Research Aim, Objectives, and Methodology
The goal of this paper is to critically discuss the contributions of Carter G. Woodson towards empowering African American males. It highlights the obstacles that African American males face when seeking to improve their lives and enhance their wellbeing. To attain the goal of this study, the paper fulfilled the following objectives:
Evaluated the early life of Carter G. Woodson and how it influenced his opinions regarding African Americans males in the United States
Explored works of various scholars on the role of Woodson in the establishment of Black American History studies and the Black History Month
Discuss various viewpoints in the overall contributions of Woodson towards empowering African American males.
This paper adopted a secondary research methodology. The data used in the analysis in the paper were gathered from scholarly sources available in libraries and internet sources. These scholarly sources included books, peer-reviewed journal articles, and conference papers. The majority of the data were from reputable authors of African history, such as W.E.B Du Bois and those who were close to Woodson, such as his sister Scully. The content from these sources was analyzed using a content analysis process. These sources were divided into different themes and sub-themes. For instance, the themes discussed in the paper included Woodson’s early life, Black History Month, and Woodson’s other contributions to African American history studies.
The rest of this paper is divided into analysis and discussion and conclusion sections. The analysis and discussion sections present the critical discussion on findings regarding Woodson’s life and contributions to understanding and studying African American history. The conclusion section presents a summary of the findings and their implications for the current and future studies.
Analysis and Discussion
Woodson’s Early Life
Carter G Woodson grew up in a 10-acre tobacco plantation that his parents owned. The plantation was based along James River in Virginia. Woodson and his siblings spent most of the time working at the farm and helping their family to survive.[13] Though Woodson’s parents, Henry and Anne experienced difficult lives, they managed to build a supportive family unit that was essential for Woodson’s dreams. The parental love gave him confidence and self-esteem that prepared him for his future research. His mother helped in nurturing his talents and often praised his efforts. In his writings, Woodson credited his father for his interest in education, especially studying black history. Whereas his father was illiterate, he advised Woodson to pursue his passions. He taught him to learn not to accept criticism or compromise on their principles.[14] He taught him not to mislead people and always maintain his integrity. He taught the children to recognize others and show politeness to all people. According to Pero, these principles remained ingrained in Woodson and were reflected in his works.[15]
As a young person, Woodson would roam New Canton hills in Buckingham County, Virginia, and relax in the countryside. It is during these strolls that his visions, aspirations, and destinies began to form. These strolls helped him to reflect on the lives of all people and influenced his decisions as an educator, philanthropist, and historian in the future. In one of his books, Woodson explained their struggles. For instance, he highlighted that they did not have sufficient food. In some cases, they will go to the field to eat the sour grass that sprouted early during the spring. Elsewhere, working on the farm was a common activity for the majority of American families in the 19th century. As such, children from low-income families did not have much time to pursue education. However, Woodson and his brother were able to attend school taught by their uncles for four months.
Many children including Woodson lacked opportunities to attend formal education. As Woodson explained in the ‘Mis-education of the Negro’, the plight of the Negro was an outcome of lack of formal education or Negro mis-education.[16] Lack of proper education adversely affected them socially, politically, psychologically, and economically. However, his love for reading shaped his destiny as a scholar. Woodson would read to his father and other scholars on a wide range of topics. These readings enhanced his desire, determination, and discipline in working towards becoming a history scholar. He dreamt of attending school and receiving formal degrees. While the quest was difficult, through a great amount of effort, he got multiple opportunities to learn. After the Civil War, the government created the Freedmen’s Bureau to facilitate the inclusion of African American families into society. The bureau was a relief to many families as their children were able to learn basic education. For example, Woodson learned to read the bible and newspapers. While Woodson’s father could not read, he bought newspapers every day.[17] Buying newspapers was a way of teaching Woodson the value of integrity, pride, and standing up against attempts by White people to control and belittle them because they were black.
West Virginia was rapidly industrializing between 1890 and 1910. Woodson would go with his brothers to work in coal mines in the state. He also worked on other farms to earn for the family. During his free time, Woodson read Cicero’s writings and works of Russian poet Virgil. While working as a coal miner, Woodson often conversed with other black miners at Oliver Jones’ Tearoom. Jones was a black civil war veteran. The tearoom was a safe place where black people could discuss their rights, politics, and war stories. Most of the conversations often centered on equality among all races. The tearoom proved to be an important part of Woodson’s early life and was a vital pillar in shaping his views on America, inequality, and racial justice.[18] For instance, he learned how the black people were disproportionately underpaid compared to the white people doing similar tasks.[19]
Besides, Jones encouraged Woodson to read books and newspapers, especially those that covered Black history. He often shared the topics he covered with Jones. It was from this point that Woodson learned his passion to research the history of African people. Some of the books that Woodson read included William J Simmons’ ‘Men of Mark’, J.T Wilson’s ‘Black Phalanx’ and George Washington Williams’ ‘Negro Troops in the War of Rebellion’. These books included accounts of African Americans on the war, tax laws, and populist teachings of William Jennings Bryan and Thomas Watson, among others. Nonetheless, Woodson’s early life was not all work and personal research. He also invested time in formal education. For instance, when he was 20 years old, he enrolled at the Fredrick Douglass High School, Huntington, West Virginia. This was not only the black high school in the region but they were also being instructed by their uncles and a cousin. After high school, he joined Berea College where for the first time he lived among white people. From college, he graduated with a Bachelor of Literature degree and a teaching certificate.
At the college, Woodson also became an educator. He got a teaching job at a high school in Winona, West Virginia between 1898 and 1900. The school’s student population was made of children of black miners. In 1900, he replaced his cousin at Frederick Douglass High School where he taught history and acted as the principal. After graduating from Berea College in 1903, Woodson taught in the Philippines and also visited the Middle East and Europe. He furthered his studies at the Sorbonne University in Paris. When he returned from France, he joined the University of Chicago where he received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in European History. In 1912, he earned his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.[20]
Woodson’s Studies and Writings about Black History
This paper recognizes that it will be challenging to empower communities when they do not understand their history and accomplishments and the challenges of long periods of time. According to Peterson et al., there is a need for investments in programs that explore racial relationships, citizen participation, and various cognitive empowerment pillars.[21] In line with Woodson’s beliefs, Peterson argued that African American males should understand power through relationships, political functions, and changing ideologies to match the aspirations of all races. The study revealed that racial disparities and racism had negative implications on the cognitive empowerment of the people, especially the African American males. It added that Black History is complex and multifaceted. Understanding black history requires objective exploration into the lives, cultures, and beliefs of the black people.[22]
One of the main contributions of Carter G. Woodson towards Black History was the establishment of Black History Month. The month was recognition of the centuries of struggles and obstacles that black people faced towards achieving respect for their human rights and gaining privileges afforded to other American citizens. Black History Month honors the artistic, cultural, and political achievements of the black people and civil rights movement. In 1926, Woodson alongside the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History declared the second week of February as the ‘Negro History Week’. This was the precursor of Black History Month.[23] While the creation of the Black History Month led to an increase in interest among various stakeholders on black history and the struggles of the African Americans, it was evident that there was a worrying dearth of knowledge regarding African Americans. Due to this, Woodson committed to a life of research and teaching Black History. As such, he became an inspiration in the creation of courses on black history and influenced the knowledge of future generations on black people’s struggles in the United States.[24]
African American men have endured several obstacles including racism, poverty, and discrimination of all kinds. Yet, many continue to stand tall despite the numerous issues, concerns, and attacks that society has systemically launched against them. The mistreatment and negative portrayal of black men is an ongoing saga that began with slavery nearly 400 hundred years ago.[25] Given the state of African American males, the creation of Black History Month helps to acknowledge these struggles and enable reflection on the creation of a better community. African American men have been fighting for their place in society and the power to retain the role of leader in their families since their feet touched the soil of America. When Black men were brought to the colonies, they were an element of torture and disrespect. The identity of Black males was lost, and they had a miserable life in the southern states. The damage continued in various ways as slave owners sought to destroy the strength and power of Black males[26].
Many factors influenced Woodson’s decision to become a black history teacher and researcher. For instance, religious experiences were one of the main influencers in his life. Woodson even contemplated joining the ministry. As a young man, Woodson offered sermons several times in the First Baptist Church in Huntington, West Virginia. These early experiences motivated Woodson to want to educate people about the worthiness of African Americans. He made significant contributions in creating awareness regarding African American history.[27] For instance, he established media that disseminated the truths of African struggles and stereotypes. He started the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in 1915, the Journal of Negro History in 1916, the Associated Publishers, Inc. in 1920, and the annual Negro History Week in 1926 among other contributions. These efforts were intended to bring African Americans to appreciate their culture and other people to acknowledge their struggles. According to Woodson, the majority of African Americans were mis-educated on historical truths.[28] In addition, many Americans lacked historical truths thus exacerbating the view that African Americans were worthless non-contributors to important historical events.
Woodson’s teachings and writings did not only target African Americans but also became an important source of information for European historians and other scholars. Woodson helped European Americans and other people with their research on African Americans. He believed that by helping others he would contribute to the destruction of the institution of segregation. As such, many writers viewed him as a philanthropist.[29] He was not just concerned with the African Americans but was sincerely concerned about others. One of the objectives of the Black History Month and vast Woodson research on African Americans was his desire to correct the exclusion of African Americans from the history of the nation. Woodson was moved by the indentured experiences and severe treatment of African Americans throughout the history of the United States. Levine highlighted that Woodson was greatly concerned about the mind of the Negro following the many years of tribulations that they had endured.[30] While Woodson was the first Black American descendant of a slave to graduate with Ph.D. from Harvard, he was second behind W.E.B Du Bois as the first Black American to graduate from the same University. As one of the early Black scholars, Woodson had taken it upon himself to expand the knowledge of Black History. He decried the narrow scope of historical narratives as presented by various contemporary historians of the time.
Before Woodson, several historians did not consider Black History to be a discipline worth studying. Some of the historians even considered it to be non-existent. In his book, Woodson indicated that one of the professors, Edward Channing, had asserted that the black people had no history. However, such assertion cannot be attributed to Channing alone.[31] Many history textbooks and coursework at the time focused on telling the stories of affluent white men. In addition, many historians were against telling stories of Black Americans and were complicit in leaving Black stories out of the American narratives. In addition, several historians whitewashed history and continued with the trend of Black erasure. Woodson explained that it was in the best interest of the White community to suppress black voices thus told history selectively. The teaching of history was to assure the white man of his ‘superiority’ and make the black people feel that they had always been a failure. The objective of history erasure was to control the mind of the black people. They were to be made to feel inferior thus they will not need to compel them to accept their inferior status. With this understanding, Woodson had strived to empower the African Americans to learn about their story and ensure that their ideas or experiences are not suppressed to meet a particular agenda.[32]
Woodson was critical of the way American history was being presented. In many of his writings and research, he enlightened the readers or audience on how and why the American education system was ignoring black history. His opinions even cost him an invitation to attend American Historical Association conferences even though he was a full-paying member. This entrenched his beliefs that the white-dominated American history profession had no interest in Black history. As a result, they successfully suppressed, overlooked, and ignored history textbooks and teachers who taught them. Woodson noted that for black scholars to study and preserve black history, they will have to create a separate institutional structure. As a result, Woodson began to solicit funds from various philanthropic institutions to promote learning of Black history. In 1916, Woodson alongside the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History founded the Journal of Negro History, which is today known as the Journal of African American History. He believed that African American history had been suppressed in conventional history textbooks thus the need to rewrite it.
Published Works
Even before publishing books, Woodson was already discussing black history with various leaders and opinion shapers with the community. Some of the people that Woodson shared his opinions with included his parents and workmates.[33] In one of his writings, Woodson paid homage to some of the historical figures he credited with his interest in history. Additionally, he discussed how his parents nurtured and care for his interests. These influences are described in his first book, ‘The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861’, which was published in 1915. The book emphasized the importance and power of the stories of African Americans.[34] It focused on the stories, which he felt that was not being told. The book explained the responsibility of the slavers in the prevention of Black Americans from receiving appropriate education thus facilitating their subordination and perpetuating the practice of erasing Black history. According to Woodson, racism in the United States could only be won when people are educated on the accomplishments of black people in society.[35]
The views in the first book were supported by other writers or scholars, such as Stanley Elkins. Stanley Elkins, in his book, ‘Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional Intellectual Life’, explains the power to emasculate the enslaved boys and men by using them for entertainment purposes and forcing them to have sex with different female slaves and each other in front of them and their friends.[36] These actions were standard among slave-owners in the Deep South. These views supported Woodson on the expectation that African Americans to learn their history several centuries before the 19th century. He highlighted the role of the Quakers in the enlightenment of the black people. The book indicated that black people are indebted to the Quakers as they are the first people to protest against slavery in Protestant America back in 1688. They also developed the first schools that educated black people about race. According to Woodson, Quakers pushed for human brotherhood, equality, and freedom of will. As such, they had no problems addressing problems, such as enlightening black people. When researching the history of African American empowerment through education, Woodson mentioned his inspiration with stories of many African Americans who suffered greatly in the pre-Civil War era due to their clamor to access education. This view was supported by other studies, which described the successful strivings of the black people and their enlightenment under adverse circumstances.[37]
After the first book was published, Woodson engaged in various steps aimed at creating the organization that promotes studying Black American history and culture. This was the founding of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). He collaborated with other four black men in founding the organization, i.e., George Cleveland Hall, William B. Hartgrove, Alexander L. Jackson, and James E. Stamps.[38] These four men agreed to the formation of the organization during a meeting at a Black YMCA in Chicago. Woodson had been selling the new book and conducting research at the time. Together, the five men envisioned an organization that will support black scholars in the publication of their works and improves racial harmony for the sake of enhanced historical knowledge. In 1916, the association established the ‘Journal of Negro History’. In 1920 when Woodson was working as the dean for the school of liberal arts at Howard University, Washington, D.C, he created the first formal survey course on Black American History.
Additionally, Woodson founded Associated Negro Publishers that promoted Black American publishing. From Howard, Woodson joined West Virginia State as the dean before retiring in 1922 and devoting himself to scholarship back in Washington, D.C where he built the first permanent headquarters for ASNLH.[39] It is during his time in Washington, D.C that he published some of his renowned works. For instance, in 1918, he published the ‘A Century of Negro Migration’. In this book, Woodson attempted to provide the classic history and analysis of the migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West up to the 20th century.[40] The book drew evidence from the primary and secondary sources to develop a compelling narrative on the challenges and struggles that different migrants faced.
The book provided a critical review of the African Americans’ migration and did not rely on the subjective accounts of a few people. It consulted diverse groups of people and writings from the beginning of the exodus from the South. It begins from the point that the black people had just realized that they had freedom over their bodies and could be able to exercise that right. Without making assumptions, the book exhausted the treatment of people during the migration, which is far from the writer’s intention. The book raised attention on the new life of African Americans, which was one of the most significant events in African American history since the Civil War. The book is set to add facts to how black history was treated in the past. Woodson consulted many people including laymen to present a succinct form of facts regarding African Americans in the period after the Civil War. He narrated how they struggled under adverse circumstances as they flee oppression as they sought to find land that offered asylum and opportunity to succeed.[41]
In 1921, Woodson published ‘The History of the Negro Church’. The book described how black churches were established and their development over time.[42] The book traced the history of the construction of the black churches in the United States from colonial times to the early 20th century. It provides biographical sketches of male church leaders and provides a broad critique of the church experiences. It evaluated the significance of the church in the life of African Americans and provided an important justification for the institution’s development. For several years, several denominations were formed promoting different doctrines. The book appreciated how the institution has continued to grow throughout the years. Also, Woodson published ‘The Negro in Our History’ in 1922 to summarize the contributions of Black people in America throughout history.
The ‘Negro in Our History’ provided a condensed form of the stories and endeavors of various African American leaders and various phases of their contributions to the lives of the black people. Some of the leaders included African American men who led slave insurrections.[43] Two well-known attempts are Denmark Vessey’s insurrection of 1822 and Nat Turner in 1831. Denmark Vessey rebellion occurred in Charleston in the basement of an AME Church. Vessey was a free man, but his wife and children were still slaves. His religious principles prompted him to seek freedom for all enslaved people. Nat Turner’s insurrection occurred in Southampton, Virginia. Turner was a known prophet but did not have connections with the local church. Turner believed that it was a calling from God to execute slave owners, their women, and children.[44]
Turner and his followers held firm to this view even while they stood trial and endured execution. Because of the revolts, severe restrictions were imposed on religious activities. The book was a rejection of the dominant view at the time that Black men were criminals, damaged, unfaithful, non-providers, and the list of negative stereotypes continues.[45] However, I contend that if black men, collectively, identify the various systemic challenges and stereotypes, and negate them with positive scriptures and anecdotes, then black males, who were once devoid of hope, can become empowered leaders of their family and community. Another important book that Woodson published was the ‘Mis-Education of the Negro’. This book emphasized the Western indoctrination system and empowerment of the African American people. It promoted the self-empowerment of African Americans. It has become one of the most important readings regarding African American history. For instance, many colleges and universities consider it required reading.
Negro History Week (Black History Month)
Carter G. Woodson’s biggest influence on American history is perhaps the creation of Black History Month, formerly known as the Negro History Week. Woodson lobbied various academic organizations and schools to participate in a program to promote African American history studies. Since 1976, Black History Month has been crucial in providing an opportunity for African American males to reflect on their history and determine where they are as a race.[46] Creation of the month further entrenched Black American history as an important discipline in the American education system. It pushed for the implementation of an education curriculum on race and teaching of struggles and achievements of African American people. As such, Woodson is a big inspiration to African American males in relation to understanding their history and motivating them to continue fighting for their rights. According to Hunt, Woodson intended to spread awareness and knowledge of Black History to all students across the United States.[47] In line with this objective, Woodson campaigned for a week to be devoted to African Americans to celebrate their achievements. He argued that black achievements are often ignored in several other forums and are not viewed in a similar manner as white achievements. Woodson understood that black people needed a week urgently and thus he suggested the idea of the ‘Negro History Week’.
As already highlighted, the Negro History Week was the precursor of Black History Month. The United States first celebrated the week on February 7, 1926. The week coincided with the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.[48] Woodson encouraged black teachings to rapidly implement the week to study of Black American history. Integrated schools supported the idea later. In 1976, President Gerald Ford made Black History Month a national observance. The month is an outcome of Woodson’s devotion to showcasing the achievements of African Americans throughout American history. Though Woodson died of a heart attack in 1950 at the age of 74, his legacy could still be experienced in American schools as African American history studies have become mainstream in the United States curriculum. His contributions empowered African Americans and launched a movement that educated others on the achievements of African Americans.
While Woodson became known as the father of African American history, he did not envision a different history for races and ethnicities. According to Du Bois, Woodson looked at humanity in general. He was puzzled by the different values of humankind.[49] Furthermore, his interest was to correct the ongoing erasure of black history. In this case, he focused on evaluating artifacts and evidence of African Americans in American culture. He focused on historical evidence which could disappear if not properly preserved. Woodson believed in one history for the United States. He never championed different histories for African Americans, whites, and Asians. He wanted to correct the records and confront the issue of misrepresentation of African American history.
Woodson had argued that setting aside a week to study black history will provide a platform that will motivate its inclusion to school curriculums around the country and influence enhance learning into how African Americans had shaped the society. As he hoped that Black History learning will be normalized, the desire was not achieved in many places. Black History Month was, therefore, established in full recognition that the country was still far from realizing the vision of teaching Black History. Today, leaders and activists use Black History Month to reflect on the several centuries of discrimination and fight for enhanced rights for African Americans.[50] The month is also dedicated to supporting and empowering Black communities on the educational, political, and social front during the month of February.
While Black History Month has helped with the recognition of the contributions of African Americans throughout the country’s history, the month has attracted massive criticism from different quarters. Some of the critics argue that the month has lost its purpose. According to these critics, Woodson’s goal was to create a means of teaching Black History in schools and integrate it with the teaching of the overall American history.[51] It was not intended to put black history on the pedestal on its own. According to studies, Woodson believed in the teaching of history from multiple perspectives. He believed that White and Black history should be taught in a similar manner. Today, Black History Month is viewed as the only time to celebrate and teach black history and drop other aspects of American history. Unfortunately, many schools in the United States are adopting this view and only teaching Black history during the month.
The commercialization of Black History Month has also been a huge concern that critics have raised. According to studies, businesses are now taking this opportunity to design and implement marketing strategies specifically targeting black people. In other cases, the message of African American pride is lost as businesses and celebrities organize flashy events to mark the month. In addition, the month may have diluted the calls for the fight against inequality in society. According to Brill, many Americans are feeling that celebration or participation in Black History Month is sufficient in fighting inequality. In the recent past, the month has also coincided with various demonstrations and protests which are inconsistent with its intended purpose[52]. For instance, Woodson only wanted to create a space to celebrate the achievements of the African American people. While protests and engagements are essential in pushing the empowerment agenda, they can also blur the message intended. Due to these reasons, many people including some African American scholars and historians are not fully embracing Black History Month as in the past.
Carter G. Woodson died on April 3, 1950, after a heart attack. Woodson is celebrated as a respected and honored Black historian who devoted his life to empowering African Americans and the rest of the United States to learn about the correct history of the nation. His legacy lives on through Black History Month that has become a national cultural force. The month is today recognized in different media formats, educational institutions, and organizations.[53] Other institutions, especially universities have honored Woodson in a different manner. For instance, the University of Virginia established the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies while St. Petersburg, Florida honored him with the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.
Conclusion
The goal of this paper was to establish how Carter G. Woodson empowered African American males. Empowerment of a community is a difficult and complex task. However, people like Woodson did an incredible job in encouraging African American males to study and learn from their history. His commitment to enlightening the American society on the contributions of the African American people towards the development of the nation was an inspiration to many on what they can achieve despite the race-linked barriers. Being the son of slaves, Woodson had a difficult childhood. He had to work at a young age and could not access any form of formal education at a young age. However, his interest in research and learning about African American history was already conspicuous. He received tremendous support from the family in his research and readings. Additionally, his father could be a role model to African American male fathers on how to handle male children even under difficult circumstances. Woodson’s father taught him to respect all people regardless of their race or ethnicities. He grew up disciplined and interacted with people from various backgrounds effectively throughout his life.
Woodson empowered African American males by helping them understand the correct version of their history. He underscored that the version of history that was being taught in schools in the United States was corrupted to promote the belief that White people were superior while African Americans were inferior. Woodson decried that contributions of African Americans to the history of the United States had been erased. As such, Woodson committed his life and his research passion to fill the missing pieces within African American history. He treated the need to fill the missing pieces within African American history as a calling and committed to this scholarship work throughout his life. Though he was born of a poor family during the Reconstruction era in rural Virginia, he was still committed to learn and reach of his dream of becoming African American history scholar. Such commitment teaches African American males the need to follow their dreams and challenge themselves despite the obstacles. It inspires the current generation as it makes them acknowledge that the generations before them had undergone massive challenges in order to achieve their dreams and passions.
Woodson’s life story inspires people to acknowledge the value of family and community in their endeavors. Woodson grew within a tightly-knit African American family and community characterized with clear communications and support for other dreams. For instance, within the family, Woodson helped with the farm activities as he went to school for only four months and worked as a coal miner. However, despite participating in domestic activities he was never deterred to pursue academics. At the age of 20, he joined high school and proceeded to graduate with two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s and a doctorate. Such achievement was huge at the time. Despite this huge achievement, Woodson was not satisfied that the achievements of African Americans throughout history were not included in the history books. He was concerned that the American education system was ignoring and misrepresenting African culture. Due to this, he and four other friends founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History to create awareness of the ongoing African American history erasure. Woodson’s life encourages other African American males to stick to their mission and continue to push for the changes that they believe.
Woodson taught African American males and the rest of the United States society the need to honor the influences of others regardless of their race and ethnicities. It is these teachings and writings that influenced later activism and the fight for equality among all races within the United States. During the early years of the Negro History Week, Woodson managed to ensure that people were discussing black men and women who had made significant contributions to human civilization and promoted observance in black-owned newspapers in the country. He assisted in unearthing and documenting stories of African Americans and the development of classroom materials that educators could use to spread the new knowledge. He used platforms, such as newspaper columns, and other publications to share his knowledge of African American history. In addition, Woodson was able to convince African Americans to embrace both the good and dark history including slavery and segregation.
[1] Pero Dagbovie, “Willing to Sacrifice” (speech, Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History, and the Carter G. Woodson Home, National Park Service, April 2012)
[2] Stuckey, Sterling. “DuBois, Woodson, and the Spell of Africa.” Negro Digest 16 (Feb, 1967), p. 23
[3] Evi Taylor et al., “The Historical Perspectives of Stereotypes on African-American Males,” Journal of Human Rights and Social Work 4, no. 3 (2019): 13
[4] Richard M. Merelman, “Black History and Cultural Empowerment: A Case Study,” American Journal of Education 101, no. 4 (1993): 340
[5] IGI Global, “Overcoming Challenges and Creating Opportunity for African American Male Students,” Advances in Educational Marketing, Administration, and Leadership, 2019, xx, doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-5990-0.
[6] Gloria F. Carr, “Empowerment: A Framework to Develop Advocacy in African American Grandmothers Providing Care for Their Grandchildren,” ISRN Nursing 2011 (2011): xx, doi:10.5402/2011/531717.
[7] IGI Global, “Overcoming Challenges and Creating Opportunity for African American Male Students,”
[8] LaGarrett J. King, Ryan M. Crowley, and Anthony L. Brown, “The Forgotten Legacy of Carter G. Woodson: Contributions to Multicultural Social Studies and African American History,” The Social Studies 101, no. 5 (2010): 212
[9] Richard M. Merelman, “Black History and Cultural Empowerment: A Case Study,” 342
[10] LaGarrett J. King, Ryan M. Crowley, and Anthony L. Brown, “The Forgotten Legacy of Carter G. Woodson: Contributions to Multicultural Social Studies and African American History,” p. 213
[11] Stuckey, Sterling. “DuBois, Woodson, and the Spell of Africa, p. 69.
[12] Evi Taylor et al., “The Historical Perspectives of Stereotypes on African-American Males,” p. 16
[13] Scally, Sis. M. Anthony. Carter G. Woodson: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport: Greenwood Press.
[14] Burnis R. Morris, Carter G. Woodson: History, the Black Press, and Public Relations (University Press of Mississippi, 2017)
[15] Pero Dagbovie, “Willing to Sacrifice”
[16] Scally, Sis. M. Anthony. Carter G. Woodson: A Bio-Bibliography
[17] Burnis R. Morris, Carter G. Woodson: History, the Black Press, and Public Relations (University Press of Mississippi, 2017)
[18] Pero Dagbovie
[19] Scally
[20] Burnis R. Morris, Carter G. Woodson: History, the Black Press, and Public Relations
[21] N. A. Peterson, Christina L. Hamme, and Paul W. Speer, “Cognitive Empowerment of African Americans and Caucasians,” Journal of Black Studies 32, no. 3 (2002): xx, doi:10.1177/002193470203200304.
[22] N. A. Peterson, Christina L. Hamme, and Paul W. Speer, “Cognitive Empowerment of African Americans and Caucasians,”
[23] Burnis R. Morris,
[24] Magnus O. Bassey, “Just What Carter G. Woodson Ordered: Culturally Responsive Education and Teaching,” Journal of Education and Human Development 6, no. 4 (2017)
[25] Magnus O. Bassey, “Just What Carter G. Woodson Ordered: Culturally Responsive Education and Teaching,” Journal of Education and Human Development
[26] George W. Brown and Carter G. Woodson, “The Mis-Education of the Negro,” The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 20, no. 2 (1933): 307
[27] William E. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism (New York: W W Norton & Company, 1999), p. 111
[28] George W. Brown and Carter G. Woodson, “The Mis-Education of the Negro,” 307
[29] Magnus O. Bassey
[30] David Levine, “Carter G. Woodson and the Afrocentrists: Common Foes of Mis-education,” The High School Journal 84, no. 1 (2000): 8
[31] David Levine, “Carter G. Woodson and the Afrocentrists: Common Foes of Mis-education,” 11
[32] W. E. DuBois, The Education of Black People: Ten Critiques, 1906 – 1960 (New York: NYU Press, 2001), p. 97
[33] Charles A. Hunt, Stones of Hope: Essays, Sermons and Prayers on Religion and Race (2019), p. 57
[34] Carter G. Woodson, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 (1915),
[35] Carter G. Woodson, A Century of Negro Migration (North Chelmsford: Courier Corporation, 1921)
[36] Stanley M. Elkins, Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life (1968)
[37] Stanley M. Elkins
[38] Alicia L. Moore and La V. Neal, “Foreword: A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture: An Exhibition of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s Legacy,” Black History Bulletin 77, no. 2 (2014)
[39] Alicia L. Moore and La V. Neal, “Foreword: A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture: An Exhibition of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s Legacy,’
[40] Carter G. Woodson, A Century of Negro Migration (North Chelmsford: Courier Corporation, 1921)
[41] Darlene C. Hine, “Carter G. Woodson, White Philanthropy and Negro Historiography,” The History Teacher 19, no. 3 (1986): 405
[42] Carter G. Woodson, The History of the Negro Church (1921)
[43] Carter G. Woodson, The Negro in Our History (1922)
[44] Charles A. Hunt, p. 18
[45] Darlene C. Hine, 405
[46] Jarvis R. Givens, ““There Would Be No Lynching If It Did Not Start in the Schoolroom”: Carter G. Woodson andthe Occasionof Negro History Week, 1926–1950,” American Educational Research Journal 56, no. 4 (2019), p. 1461
[47] Charles A. Hunt, Stones of Hope: Essays, Sermons and Prayers on Religion and Race (2019), p. 76
[48] Jarvis R. Givens, ““There Would Be No Lynching If It Did Not Start in the Schoolroom”: Carter G. Woodson andthe Occasionof Negro History Week, 1926–1950,” 1465
[49] DuBois, W.E.B .. “A Portrait of Carter G. Woodson.” Masses and Mainstream, June 1950, p. 21
[50]Jarvis R. Givens, p. 1469
[51] Ernie Brill, “”Early Childhood Education” and “Black History Month”,” Radical Teacher 121 (2021): 109
[52] Ernie Brill, “”Early Childhood Education” and “Black History Month”, 110
[53] Ernie Brill, 111
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