Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the innovation of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
According to History.com, “The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
“That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent.
“Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.”
In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, calling for the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society — from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more.
Since Ford’s declaration, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme.
The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” explores “the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well.”
I suppose then, that it’s fitting that this week, we are featuring a family of medical professionals to celebrate Black History in our area.
Black History Month was created to focus attention on the contributions of African Americans to the United States. It honors all Black people from all periods of U.S. history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the recent passing of Williamsport first (and only) black police chief, Curley Jett. Curley served for 27 years before being promoted. Lou will have a full feature on Mr. Jett in next week’s issue.
If you would like to learn more about local Black History in the Williamsport and Lycoming County areas, you can visit Lycoming College’s “Local Black Heritage Project” at http://www.lycoming.edu/art/black-history.aspx. You can also find Lou Hunsinger’s previous articles archived at webbweekly.com, just search ‘Black History.’
