Black History Month has seeds planted in Illinois, thanks to Carter G. Woodson!
Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History Month,” attended the University of Chicago and attained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history in 1908, eventually earning a PhD in history from Harvard University in 1912 and becoming the second African American to do so.
Several years later, Woodson returned back to Chicago for the National Half Century Exposition and Lincoln Jubilee, honoring what was the 50th anniversary of the freedom of enslaved peoples occurring on the June 19, 1865—now acknowledged as Juneteenth. The celebration lasted from Aug. 22 – Sept. 16, 1915 and was hosted at the Chicago Coliseum.
During this time, Woodson and a few others—including George Cleveland Hall who has a Chicago Public Library Branch named after him—gathered together and founded what is now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History on Sept. 9, 1915. The intention behind the organization was to create and distribute Black history.
Later in 1926, they would send out a press release stating that they were honoring Black history by reserving the second week of February for “Negro History Week.” They chose this week because they wanted to honor two important figures whose birthdays also fell during this time: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
With the help of Vivian G. Harsh, who was the first African American branch in the Chicago Public Library system, there was distribution of Black history and programs available to many students and instructors at the George Cleveland Branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Negro History Week later turned into Black History Month in 1970 when Black students and faculty at Kent State University decided to make it a month-long celebration. A few years after that in 1976, President Gerald Ford declared February as Black History Month, highlighting that this was the time to celebrate a group of people who are often overlooked.
So, when thinking about Black History Month, show a little pride knowing that the stepping stones were in Illinois!
