Carter G. Woodson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Carter G. Woodson, who is often dubbed the “Father of Black History,” is being honored with a Google Doodle on the first day of Black History Month.

He was a man who loved education, who excelled at it, and who was dedicated to highlighting and preserving the importance and richness of black history. Dr. Woodson died in 1950, but his profound legacy lives on every February and in a greater understanding about the contributions and struggles of African-Americans.
“Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history,” Woodson once said in one of his most-recognized quotes.

Explaining the importance of Woodson, the NAACP notes, “Carter G. Woodson believed that Blacks should know their past in order to participate intelligently in the affairs in our country. He strongly believed that Black history – which others have tried so diligently to erase – is a firm foundation for young Black Americans to build on in order to become productive citizens of our society.”