Black History Bulletin

"Making Black History focuses on the engine behind the early black history movement in the Jim Crow era, Carter G. Woodson and his Association for the Study of Negro Life and History"--

The men who launched and shaped black studies This book examines the lives, work, and contributions of two of the most important figures of the early black history movement, Carter G. Woodson and Lorenzo Johnston Greene. Drawing on the two men's personal papers as well as the materials of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), Pero Gaglo Dagbovie probes the struggles, sacrifices, and achievements of these black history pioneers. The book offers the first major examination of Greene's life. Equally important, it also addresses a variety of issues pertaining to Woodson that other scholars have either overlooked or ignored, including his image in popular and scholarly writings and memory, the democratic approach of the ASNLH, and the pivotal role of women in the association.

Introduce your students to the rich history of African-American music with "A Celebration of Black History through Music"from spirituals to hip-hop. Featuring some of the most important musicians of each style of music covered, "A Celebration of Black History through Music" highlights how the roots of African-American music can be traced from the slave songs of the 1700s through hip-hop music of the 1970s and 80s, and demonstrates how this music has influenced and shaped the music of the world. Words alone will not do justice to any of the music described in this book. An enhanced CD containing audio examples of the featured music styles is included to allow your students to hear the music in the lessons. In addition, a discography, reproducible worksheets, extension activities, and a complete PowerPoint presentation are all included for use with your class.

Born in rural Virginia during Reconstruction, Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) was a central figure in black history and an important American scholar. In 1912, he became the first and only individual of slave parentage to earn a Ph.D. in history. In 1915 he founded the Association for the Study of Negro (now African-American) Life and History, and he devoted the remainder of his life to the study and advancement of the history of his race. His legacy of achievement extends to the present day. In preparing this detailed biography of Woodson, the first book-length treatment of his life, Jacqueline Goggin conducted extensive research in archival sources throughout the country. From a paucity of primary materials, she provides as complete an account as possible of Woodson’s humble upbringing and early influences. She also describes his education at Berea College, the University of Chicago, and Harvard University, and his early career as a teacher in the public schools of Washington, D.C., an experience that deepened his belief in the uplifting power of education for blacks. Drawing upon Woodson’s own writings, correspondence from a wide range of collections, and numerous secondary sources, the author delineates Woodson’s work both within and outside the ASNLH, as well as his contributions to the interpretation of American history. Woodson maintained that knowledge of Negro history would inculcate blacks with a sense of self-esteem and alleviate white racism, and he initiated a series of educational programs and publications directed toward black and white intellectuals as well as the mass of African Americans. He edited the Journal of Negro History and the Negro History Bulletin and wrote many influential books, notably The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 and The Negro in Our History. Through his research and writing, he challenged prevailing stereotypes about blacks and established black history as a legitimate field of inquiry, enduring all the while the patronizing attitudes of many white historians, educators, and philanthropists, on whom he relied for always-scarce funding. Woodson also used his scholarship to influence the policies of black social welfare and protest organizations such as the National Urban League, the NAACP, and the more radical Friends of Negro Freedom. W. E. B. Du Bois said of Woodson that he “kept to one goal, and worked at it stubbornly and with unwavering application and died knowing that he accomplished much if not all that he planned.” This important intellectual biography reveals the complex and dedicated individual Woodson was and the lasting significance of his pioneering work in black history.