February 23

W.E.B. Du Bois

W.E.B. Du Bois was born on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Du Bois was a historian, civil rights activist, sociologist, author, editor and Pan-Africanist.  In 1909 he was also one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  On February 12, 1909 in response to a race riot in Springfield, Illinois and the horrific acts that were being done against African Americans, a little over 50 white liberals and 7 African Americans met to discuss the racial crisis. Out of this meeting came the existence of the NAACP.  Some of the African Americans in attendance were W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell.  Among the white liberals at the meeting were Mary White Ovington and Oswald Garrison Villard, The organization continued the focus of the Niagara Movement which was the precursor to  (NAACP).

The Niagara Movement was organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter. It was an organization that wanted equal rights for African Americans.  Du Bois became the first African American member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters on June 22, 1943.  He died on August 27, 1963 at age 95 in Accra, Ghana.

Tribute To Black History Month

December 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950 – Carter Godwin Woodson

Dr. Carter G. Woodson  began “Negro History Week” the forerunner to Black History Month. Dr. Woodson was a noted, historian, journalist, author and the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.