"There is no more powerful force
than a people steeped in their history."
These words were spoken by Carter G. Woodson, seen in this picture. No one has played a greater role in helping all Americans know the black past than Carter G. Woodson. He was the man who founded Negro History Week in Washington, D.C., in February 1926.
His goal was for American children be exposed to Black History. He chose the month of February to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two famous freedom fighters.
We all need to draw inspiration and guidance from the past. The past helps us find the tools and paths that will help us live our ives with purpose today. And who could draw strength from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech? Who could not be inspired by the creativity of Madame C.J. Walker or the audacity and courage of prize fighter Jack Johnson. How many have found solace in the poetry of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, or Gwendolyn Brooks. Countless have found comfort in the rhythms of Louie Armstrong, Sam Cooke or Dinah Washington. Indeed, it is not just Black History, it is indeed American History.
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