Black History Month: Day Seven--From a Week to a Month

*Note: For The Journey: Day Twenty see my earlier post today.

Black History Month: The History and the Controversy

Day Seven: From a Week to a Month

Now that we know why Dr. Woodson selected a week in February for the study of Blacks in history, let’s discover how the week morphed into a month.

By the time Woodson passed away in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life. Progress was being made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the African American legacy and to embrace the celebration.

However, there was a recognition of the need to devote more time to Black History. So, in 1976, fifty years after the initial celebration, the first Black History Month was celebrated.

The nation was coming to recognize the importance of Black History in the drama of the America story. Since 1976, all American Presidents have issued Black History Month proclamations.

Is one month enough? Is one month still needed? Now it’s time to move from the history to the controversy.

Stay tuned . . .