CARTER G. WOODSON
Name: Carter Godwin Woodson
Born: December 19, 1875
Died: 1950
Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia, the son of former slaves James and
Eliza Riddle Woodson. His father had helped the Union soldiers during the Civil
War, and afterwards moved his family to West Virginia when he heard they were
building a high school for blacks in Huntington. Coming from a large, poor
family, Carter could not regularly attend such schools, but through self-instruction
he was able to master the fundamentals of common school subjects by the time he
was 17. He was a cousin of ZerNona Black
Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland co-founded the Association for the Study
of African American Life and History.
He was an African American historian, author, journalist and
the founder of Black History Month. He is considered the first to conduct a
scholarly effort to popularize the value of Black History. He recognized and
acted upon the importance of a people having an awareness and knowledge of their
contributions to humanity and left behind an impressive legacy. He was a member
of the first black fraternity Sigma Pi Phi and a member of Omega Psi Phi as well.
Name: Carter Godwin Woodson
Born: December 19, 1875
Died: 1950
Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia, the son of former slaves James and
Eliza Riddle Woodson. His father had helped the Union soldiers during the Civil
War, and afterwards moved his family to West Virginia when he heard they were
building a high school for blacks in Huntington. Coming from a large, poor
family, Carter could not regularly attend such schools, but through self-instruction
he was able to master the fundamentals of common school subjects by the time he
was 17. He was a cousin of ZerNona Black
Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland co-founded the Association for the Study
of African American Life and History.
He was an African American historian, author, journalist and
the founder of Black History Month. He is considered the first to conduct a
scholarly effort to popularize the value of Black History. He recognized and
acted upon the importance of a people having an awareness and knowledge of their
contributions to humanity and left behind an impressive legacy. He was a member
of the first black fraternity Sigma Pi Phi and a member of Omega Psi Phi as well.