February 25, 2005
MGH and AMMP recognize Black History Month
In recognition of February as Black History Month, members of the Association
of Multicultural Members of Partners (AMMP) have compiled the following
summary of how Black History Month came into existence, as well as little-known
facts about important contributors to black history.
The observance of black history began in 1926 in response to the fact
that very little black history had been studied or even documented at
that time. Since then, it has been celebrated every February thanks to
the efforts of Carter G. Woodson, PhD, who became known as the "father
of black history." Woodson chose February to coincide with the birthdays
of Frederick Douglass, a leader of the abolitionist movement, and Abraham
Lincoln, as well as the anniversary of the founding of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Woodson was the son of former slaves who spent his early life in the Kentucky
coal mines. At age 20, he enrolled in high school and continued on to
earn his PhD at Harvard University. As he received his education, he became
aware that blacks were mentioned very little in American history books.
To counter this, he formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life
in 1915 and the Journal of Negro Life in 1916. In 1926, he initiated
Negro History Week in an effort to bring national attention to the contributions
of black people throughout American history. This eventually evolved into
Black History Month, a time when black achievers of past and present are
honored.
The following are some of the black Americans who have made major contributions
to society:
- John Derham became the first black medical doctor in America (1787).
- Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African-American woman to earn a medical degree (1864).
- Sarah Goode was the first African-American woman to receive a U.S. patent (1885).
- W.E.B DuBois was the first black person to earn a PhD from Harvard (1895).
- Charles Drew invented the blood plasma bag (approximately 1945).
- Ralph Bunche was the first black person to win the Nobel Peace Prize (1950).
- Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to be elected to Congress (1964).
- Benjamin Carson, MD, was the first neurosurgeon to successfully separate Siamese twins joined at the head.