The History of Black History Month

SAGINAW, Mich. -- During the past 35 years I have attended more than 100 Black History Month events. Some were as a student, some were simply as a good citizen. But most were as a local newspaper reporter here in Saginaw, a smaller hard-pressed auto town known as "Little Detroit."

Various speakers have told their audiences, or lamented to me, their thoughts along these lines: "Yes, well when THEY gave us a Black History Month, THEY gave us the shortest month of the year."

Indeed there are countless sins that White Society has committed in America's most sad and tragic chapters, but this is just one of them.

The venerable Dr. Charles Godwin Woodson, a great educator and activist, established Negro History Week in 1926 and spread the word through his nationwide network of contacts. It was Dr. Woodson who selected the second week in February. The reason? This time span encompassed the birthdates of both Frederick Douglass (2/14/1817) and Abraham Lincoln (2/12/1809). And so February was designated not by White Society, but by the "Father of Black History" himself. I don't think he was counting the days.

Eventually the week became a month. Beyond that, every four years -- such as this year -- I am able to tell selected friends and acquaintances, "Well, it's a leap year, so at least this year there are 29 days instead of 28." My good fortune is that they know me well enough that they will not slap me in the face for this subtle little remark. Furthermore, with establishment of the Martin Luther King Holiday a decade ago, the focus actually begins in mid-January and extends for six or seven weeks.