Show Woodson sheds light lighton on Black History Isaiah s lah Prows Contributing Writer Black History month just concluded and students here at the community college think Dr Carter G. G Woodson founder of this recognition should be proud D 0 r Woodson was born on oni i Dec 19 1875 to parents parents parents par par- who were former fonner slaves He grew up working in in Dr Carter G. G Woodson coal mines in Kentucky where he later enrolled in high school at age 20 Two vo years later he graduated and was off to college After completing a degree he started teaching high school in Washington DC D.C. During the same time he was studying at Harvard to receive a doctorate doctorate doctorate doc doc- degree While receiving his education Dr Woodson bel believed eved African Americans weren't treated with justice in history books They reflected upon the negative negative negative nega nega- tive things like blacks couldn't read and write and they were only good for manual labor r rIn r- r In the Chicago Defender Defend r a newspaper espa- espa per devoted to blacks Dr Woodson said The philosophy and ethics resulting from our educational system have justified slavery peonage segregation segregation segre segre- segregation gation and lynching The oppressor has the right to exploit to handicap and to kill the oppressed According to the Educator Historian Almanac Dr Woodson wanted to fight back for the American African-American com com- So he established the Association for the Study of Afro- Afro American Life and History in 1915 and in 1926 he began promoting Black history week during the second week of February This week was especially important to him because it marked the birthdays of two important contributors tors to black history Frederick Douglass who became a leading spokesperson for the abolition of slavery slavery slavery slav slav- ery and Abraham Lincoln who issued the Emancipation Declaration in 1863 freeing all slaves Because of Dr Woodson African Americans can be found in history books for the positive things they have accomplished He also made it possible for mainstream society to see their importance student Evariste Foly from Togo Africa agrees I This month is dedicated to us and imd it reminds us of all the famous famous famous' black leaders in America who have proven our goodness Foly said Little did Dr Woodson know black history week would turn into Black History Month in the So what was the purpose of portraying portraying portraying portray portray- ing African Americans as uneducated anyway Dr Woodson believed he had the answer When you can control a mans man's thinking you do not have to worry wont about his actions Dr Woodson said In 1518 and before activists like Dr Woodson life was not easy for the black community They were traded as slaves under the rule of King Charles I of Spain According to biography com 10 million Africans were forced to be slaves here in the United States It wasn't wasn't wasn't was was- nt until the Civil War was over and slavery was abolished because of the Amendment that slaves became free citizens Banny Vassy a student from the Ivory Coast was amazed to think about all the problems the African- African Americans faced Looking at the obstacles they passed through these people suffered a alot alot alot lot Vassy said |