S1: Welcome in San Diego. It's Jade Hindman on today's show. It's been 100 years since Carter G. Woodson started what we now know as Black History Month. A look back at what it means a century later. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. So whether weather taught in school or not , it is Black History Month. And this year , there's even more reason to celebrate as we recognize 100 years of commemoration. It all started in 1926 when black historian Carter G. Woodson created a week to celebrate the vast achievements of black men and women. Well , by the 1960s , that week eventually grew into a month long celebration , and in 1976 , President Ford officially recognized Black History Month. Joining me to unpack that history is Toyo Abedin. She is a professor of history and africana studies at the University of San Diego. Welcome back to Midday Edition.
S2: Oh , I'm so happy to be back.
S1: So glad to have you here to talk about this. First , happy black history month.
S2: Oh , happy black history month.
S1: You know , well , we know black history is 365.
S2: That's supposed to be this month of celebration. Rest for all we've accomplished. But as black people , we end up working the most during this month. So it's been busy. It's been back to back , but I am so happy to do the work to celebrate this history. Indeed.
S1: Indeed. Well , okay , take me back to the early days of Black History Month. It all started with Carter G. Woodson.
S2: Woodson decided in 1926 to start Negro History Week , and he decided that this would take place in the second week of February to commemorate the birthdays of two very significant figures to black history Abraham Lincoln , whose birthday is on February 12th , and then Frederick Douglass , whose birthday is actually on Valentine's Day on February 14th. So he decided to do this celebration because he realized that the history , black history wasn't really being taught , wasn't being represented. In fact , you know , he is the second African-American to get his PhD from Harvard University , after W.E.B. Dubois. And even at that level , he still noticed that there was a gap in the way that we were being taught about black history , and he wanted to do something about that. So he decided to start Negro History Week in the second week of February , which we now know has expanded to this month long celebration that we celebrate today. Wow.
S1: Wow. And so this was during the time of cultural explosion , the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 30s. What influence did that period of black culture have in America ? Absolutely.
S2: Yeah. So 1920s was a difficult time to be alive. I you know , we talk about the Harlem Renaissance , but people forget that this was also Jim Crow era , right ? This period where segregation was legalized , where violence was rapid. Right. Um , lynchings were happening across the United States. Uh , massacres. Right. And even despite all of that , we see that black people thrived. Black people created. Right ? We have poets and writers and musicians who made space to celebrate our culture in the midst of people trying to destroy it. And I think that was so powerful and inspiring for folks like Carter G. Watson , who decided to celebrate and commemorate this history even more. Right. It fed off of each other. Right.
S1: Right. I mean , and fast forward to the 1960s , right. You know , the week long celebration grows into a month , becoming Black History Month. How did that coincide with a cultural shift in the US during the 60s ? Yeah.
S2: You know , so my favorite part about talking about the history of Black History Month is that it was students who helped expand this to a month. Students at Kent State University were pissed off about the course selections that they had , the course offerings that were limited. They actually spoke to some of the same problems that Carter G. Woodson felt in 1926 , some of the same issues that he wrote about in Miseducation of a Negro , and they decided to do something about it. So they organized protest. They stopped coming to classes , and they demanded that their university do something about Black History Month and allow them to celebrate with a month long celebration rather than just a week. And I was actually reading some interviews of the students and the faculty and administration that helped expand it to a month. And what I found so fascinating is that they weren't concerned about making it a national holiday. They really just wanted the attention of their university. That was first because the government in many ways posed many issues , right ? If we look at black history , I mean , unfortunately , the government wasn't always on the right side of history. So they were less concerned about the government and being national and more so focused on what they could do on their campus. And little did they know that it would be something so much larger than themselves. I also noticed that it wasn't just Kent State University who was celebrating this month long celebration , but colleges like Rhodes College , who also were celebrating Black History Month in this month long celebration. And I think it's so powerful to see that across the United States , there were many who had the same vision. So we would see the very first celebration of Black History Month in 1970 , and they actually celebrated from January 2nd to February 28th. So it was much longer than what we do.
S1: Now , which , Yeah , I think that's a great idea.
S2: I'm like , can we bring that back ? Right.
S1:
S2: But , um , it's just really powerful to see how the voice of the students impacted so much change. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. You know , and it's started in the 70s by 76. Um , you know , President Ford officially recognized the month. Um , though it was already a thing.
S2: Right. Right. They were already doing that. And I feel like that often gets , uh , mistranslated when we talk about the origins of Black History Month. Uh , but , you know , there was it was mixed , right ? Some were excited. Some were happy to see that on a national level that we would now have this holiday to celebrate this month long celebration. But of course , there was also criticism. Many who believe that we didn't need that we didn't need a celebration for Black History Month. Um , that change had already been made , especially since we were just coming out of the civil rights movement , and many believed that we were entering this post-racial society where these problems had been solved. Unfortunately , we actually see some of the same sentiments shared today , even in 2026. But despite the criticism , we would see global impact , right ? The UK would then create Black History Month. They celebrate theirs in October , but Canada as well. Right. So something that started in the US really expanded throughout. Right.
S1: Right. Well and talk a bit more about that. Right. Because um , there there are folks out here who just don't understand why Black History Month is important. Um , from where I sit , you know , in growing up , going to elementary school , you know , I remember , like , skipping recess to protest because there was no black history in our history books. Um , by the time I left elementary school , we finally had a program in place. But but , I mean , speak to that a little bit because it is this is a part of history that is just excluded from a lot of books. Absolutely.
S2: Absolutely. The fact that we still are having this conversation in 2026 should be reason enough to show that we still need Black History Month. Right. There has been efforts , intentional efforts to erase , minimize , distort black history. Right. We see that. You know , I specialize in media representation. So we absolutely see that in media. But we also see that in scholarship. We see that in academia. You know , there were theories , pseudoscience that promoted these stereotypes , that black people were inferior , that they didn't have their own culture , that they were less intelligent , that they were lazy , that they had no culture of significance or achievements of their own. And this is what pushed Carter G. Watson to create Negro History Week , right ? This is what pushed the students to ask for a month. And this is why we're still fighting today , right ? Because we still have these same problems , these same hurdles. And in many ways that's disheartening. But when I look at the history of the origin of Black History Month , I'm actually so encouraged because I see how effort and , um , push and resilience can create change and that it can be so much bigger than you imagine. Right.
S1: Right.
S2: I remember I'm thinking of 2020. What a time. Right. Um , you know , unfortunately , we see a lot of performative efforts from brands and companies who wanted to show that they want to be on the right side of history. Right ? So there were I remember going into stores and seeing , like , shirts and purses and , um , candy that was like Black History Month. And I'm like , well , I've never seen this at all my years living. So , um , we've seen quite a change of how Black History Month is celebrated. Um , recently , now , especially 2025 , we were also dealing with many who said that we still don't need Black History Month and who are consistently fighting to erase it , right ? Uh , ripping down things from museums and artifacts from museums and , um , really trying to censor the history that we know and believe. Right. So it's it's a uphill battle , unfortunately. But we still remain hopeful and resilient , and we still celebrate. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. One thing that I think escapes people's mind is how vast black history is. It didn't. It doesn't start in America. Talk a bit about that. Absolutely.
S2: Absolutely. Yeah. My favorite thing to talk about with my class when they first come in , I'm like , what were you taught about Black History Month and where did they start ? And oftentimes my students are. You know , they say that they started with enslavement. Of course. Right. In fact , it's actually one of the most talked about topics when you talk about black history. But the period of enslavement is actually much shorter than the period that came before that. Right. Where were they coming from ? Who enslaved them ? This history , these questions are oftentimes not interrogated. Um , right now , currently , actually , in my African American history class , we're talking about great early African civilizations like Nubia and Kush and Komet , civilizations that many don't know about because they weren't taught. But , you know , we had language systems of our own universities and libraries and armies , right , that are of significance that we often don't talk about when we discuss black history. So it's important to , like you said , um , really go back a little bit further. Yeah.
S1: Yeah. Well , bringing it to 2026 here. Um , you know , while President Trump signed a proclamation for Black History Month this year , it comes at a time when his federal agencies are being directed to not use resources to honor this month.
S2: This isn't the first time that we've had those in the highest office pushed back against our history. And we this is not the first time we've seen people try to suppress our history or our culture. So I am often pulling from the reactions of black people in the past. How did they respond to Jim Crow era ? How did they respond in the 50s ? Right. And that is what helps me make sense of the world that we see today. And I try to inspire my students in the same way. Yeah.
S1: Yeah.
S2: I'm very intentional about adding visuals and media to my presentation , so students could see for themselves that this stuff wasn't so far removed. You know , let's talk about the civil rights movement. Oftentimes , the pictures of these civil rights leaders are in black and white , and that can distort how we make sense of how long ago this was. Right. When we do actually have colored images. Right. So I'm intentional about making sure to incorporate those in my slides so my students know that this wasn't that long ago , and some of the same issues that our ancestors were fighting before. We're still fighting today. Wow.
S1: Wow. And that is so true because when thinking about it , it's like I'm part of the first generation born with full citizenship rights in this country. So it's like these things were not that long ago. Yeah. Um. I'm curious.
S2:
S1:
S3: Of course. No , no. Of course. Um , you know , my favorite thing is to actually go back before enslavement.
S2: And to look at these early African civilizations. Hatshepsut is one of my favorite historical figures. Um , comedic para , which is the comedic term for Pharaoh. She actually. And I say she because a lot of people don't know that pharaohs were also women , right ? She ends up actually , uh , crowning herself para. And that was because her son was very sickly and could not take on the role , and she thrived in the role. She's actually , to me , she's one of the earliest public relations guru we ever had because she's able to create relationships with neighboring civilizations , create trade routes , and I'm just so inspired by those stories or , you know , even the Kodak of Nubia and Kush , right , where we have Queens who were fighting in militaries , right ? With tens of thousands of women fighting for their rights and for their space , and we often aren't taught that kind of history , especially not when it comes to gender. So I'm inspired by that. But I'm also inspired by stories like Ida Wells Barnett.
S1: Yes , right. One of my heroes.
S2: One of mine too. Oh , I'm just I have chills right now just thinking about without her work on the lynchings that were taking place , how many people would we not know about ? We would not know how serious that issue was , how many kids were being abducted. So for her bravery , I am just so , so grateful and inspired. But , you know , I , I love all of our history. I love the history that is in the United States , the history that's in Brazil , the history that's in the UK and all over the world. And I hope that my students feel that same passion.
S1: Oh my gosh. Well , this was such a great conversation. I've been speaking with Toyo Abo Darren. She's a professor of history and Africana studies at the University of San Diego. Professor , thank you so much. As always , thank.
S3: You for having me. It's always a pleasure talking to you. Likewise.
S1: Likewise. Still to come , there were several changes to the tax code. We'll tell you how that might impact your return. KPBS Midday Edition is back after the break.
