Eighty years ago, Dr. Carter Woodson paved the way for the studies of African-American history with his concept of a “Negro History Week” for everyone to understand and appreciate the accomplishments of a vital and historically neglected race of people in the United States.

Born the eldest of nine children to former slaves, Woodson worked very early in life to help his family survive. After receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1912, he began influencing the members of the African-American communities by helping them to enrich and educate their lives of where they once were and where they need to go as a race of people.

Dr. Dawood Sultan, professor of sociology, emigrated from his home country of Sudan to the United States in 1988. “Coming over to a society struggling with ethnic relations was very poignant,” Sultan said.

During his undergraduate career, Sultan was one of the founders of the African Students Organization on the LSU campus. Sultan appreciates Black History Month because it reminded Americans of the improper and horrific treatment of an entire race of people and allows Americans to improve the relationships between races of its people.

Woodson believed it was important to “make the world see the Negro as a participant rather than as a lay figure in history,” and with this in mind, the second week of February was dedicated to help many understand the history and significance of various African-Americans. The second week of February was important for the creation of this holiday because the births of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln occur during this time. These men were greatly admired for their work toward improving and acknowledging the black community.

According to an essay written by Sean Gonsalves from the Freeman Institutes online biography of Woodson, his main goal for establishing a week devoted to the study of Negro accomplishments was to demonstrate how the “distortions and deletions in the American historical record as it pertains to race matters was detrimental to the health of a nation whose inherent promise is life, liberty and justice for all.”

“America has always been a land of immigrants. This celebration brought Americans closer to its potential of what the founders intended with the word of the Declaration of Independence in that ‘All men are created equal.’ This brings us together in a particular way. Any society that acknowledges the down-trodden should encourage a celebration of their heritage,” Sultan said.

During the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, the name of Woodson’s creation was changed to Black History week, which later changed in 1976 to Black History Month. This change allotted for every American to study, appreciate and acknowledge the history of the African-American people. Many schools began adding this as an essential part of the curriculum in order to teach students the history.

“Africans have a glorious history with only a small fraction of time spent as slaves,” said Dr. Henry Parker, professor of philosophy. From his perspective, many great things have arisen from this celebration, but he feels that there is so much more that needs to be done in order for African-Americans to be adequately recognized in the history of the nation, as well as the world.

“A lot of good things have been done [from Black History Month]. Eyes have been opened, but even in the 80 years since it started, it has only dented the surface. In order for people to understand the race of black people, history needs to go back to the Egyptians because their accomplishments are still significant today. Woodson was upset that blacks were left out of history. His efforts were to prove that from the very beginning, black people were there,” said Parker.

Dr. Sultan and Dr. Parker both feel that the importance of telling the history the way it occurred, which includes retelling the details accurately, is vital for us as a nation to grow and adapt. Sultan says that “the truth always sets you free,” and that this month is a reminder to that truth.