Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - The founding of Black History Month dates back to a man born in 1985. This man was Carter G. Woodson, who founded what has come to be known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and began Black History Week in 1926. This time of recognition was later expanded by President Gerald Ford in 1976. The original week would’ve taken place in the second week of February, to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass. Lincoln was born on February 12th, 1809.
Douglass’ birthday isn’t quite as cut and dry, even though it is recognized on February 14th, 1818. Despite this, Douglass himself mentioned in his autobiography that a former enslaver had told him that it occurred in February of 1818. However, the man's wife believed it was 1817, and to this day, no definitive confirmation of the date has been found.
Woodson found these two to be the most important figures of the antislavery and abolitionist movements of the 19th century, so their accomplishments bear remembering. Slavery supporters believed that African Americans were inferior and lacked the intelligence to be American citizens. However, Douglass was a man who stood in the face of those ideas. He was an intelligent man who was a strong leader, not only as an abolitionist but also as a political officeholder. Despite being an escaped slave, Douglass was known for being willing to speak with enslavers, demonstrating his dedication to his peaceful ideology.
Fredrick Douglass circa 1879 and Abraham Lincoln circa 1963
Public Domain
Lincoln will forever be associated with the end of slavery as the President during the Civil War; however, this is not where interests in ending slavery started. In 1834, he supported Henry Clay of the Whig Party in an effort to settle formerly enslaved people in Liberia. After continued political discourse, he secured a seat in the US House of Representatives in 1846 and began drafting bills to abolish slavery, which were dropped due to a lack of support. Upon becoming US President in 1861, Lincoln led the Union through the Civil War while issuing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862.
Despite the efforts of these men and the completed abolition of slavery in June of 1865, it would take another century of leaders to finally see African Americans legally on equal footing with their peers. As previously discussed, Woodson pushed forward the acknowledgement of Black history in the 1920s. Despite basing the week around Lincoln and Douglass, he advocated that the people made history. As a result, the study of the history and lives of the average black soldiers and sailors who fought in the war is paramount.
It would take until 1968 to entirely end Jim Crow laws with the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The 50s and 60s were another major push forward, with figures like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. leading cultural movements to end segregation and put African Americans on the path to equal treatment. Despite the importance of these leaders, Woodson is correct in believing that the thousands of supporters, now protestors and political advocates instead of soldiers, made these things possible.
These average men and women may be harder to uncover and study, but the work of dedicated individuals makes it possible. Gaston County has its own hub for these studies at the African American Museum of History and Culture at the Loray Mills. Those wanting to learn more about local history should visit 300 S Firestone St, Suite P, Gastonia, NC 28052. The museum is open from 11 AM to 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and from 11 AM to 4 PM on Tuesdays and Fridays. Those wanting to check the museum out now can watch the video below, where the Curator and Co-founder, Dot Guthrie, guides the tour.
Don’t worry, though, the museum has received several new exhibits since this was filmed, and Guthrie is constantly uncovering the history and importance of local families. One such event she was involved in was honoring the role of integrated sports in changing past ideas. This took the form of local athletes who emerged during the Jim Crow era. You can read about Frank McClure and Robert Johnson in the article here to learn about their personal achievements and inspirations.
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