The eldest child of nine, born to former slave parents, self-taught and schooled amid coalmines rather than books. Under these conditions the Father of Black History, Carter Godwin Woodson arose, earning his title in 1926, when he created America Negro History Week.
Through research, Woodson discovered that many significant black accomplishments were not granted sufficient attention in American history books. Eighty years ago, a week of February was set aside as a period to remember African-American achievements. Woodson chose February's second week to commemorate the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass, a strong abolitionist, and Abraham Lincoln, the author of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Gerald Gill, associate professor of history, has also noticed the under-representation of African Americans in the US education system. "I was never exposed in school texts or assignments to any prominent African Americans other than Booker T. Washington or George Washington Carver," he said.
Gill's father and aunt, who both attended segregated schools in Virginia, told Gill about prominent black historical characters such as Fredrick Douglass. "From my aunt I learned of Paul Robeson, from my father I learned of the Negro Baseball Leagues," he said.
It wasn't until 1976 that Black History Week became Black History Month. The week was simply not enough, say those who remember the stark absence of any college courses related to the contributions of black Americans. At Lafayette College, which Gill attended as an undergraduate, courses teaching black history or literature were nowhere to be found.
According to Gill, the question of the relevance of black history is complex; he believes that the field of African-American history should form a part the so-called "Grand American Narrative," depicting prominent blacks as both active in their endeavors to transform the past, as well as limited by the constraints of racism and oppression.
"African-American history allows students to consider the meanings of accepted precepts such as freedom, liberty, and opportunity, especially when these principles were historically denied to African-American men and women," he said.
Throughout February Tufts will sponsor a program of guest lecturers that will include Pearl Robinson, director of international relations and a political science professor, and Jennifer Eberhardt of Stanford University in a seminar entitled "Embodying Race." Other activities for Black History Month include presentations by musical ensembles and a film series.
Despite the program's ambitious goal of educating a range of students, the impact on campus has sometimes been disappointing. Some suggest that poor advertising limits student participation. "The [flyers for] a capella groups seem to be more prominent than [for things] I consider to be more important, such as Black History Month," freshman Nicole Frattaroli said.
One sophomore agreed, mentioning that even though she was in the gospel choir as part of last year's Black History Month program, her fellow students were uninformed with respect to the purpose of their presentation. Some, especially among Tufts' sizable pool of international students, have never heard of Black History Month.
Some students who do participate complain of burnout, Gill said, since the program is so extensive. Nevertheless, he remarked, many members of the community welcome the invitation to participate and seem appreciative of the events.
An event celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. kicked off the month in Goddard Chapel. Dana Chandler, professor of art, music, and African-American studies at Simmons College, was the guest lecturer. One of Chandler's themes was the number of blacks in American prisons, which he called a "long-term holocaust."
Chandler said that integration is improbable for blacks and whites, a contention with which some students disagreed. But there were feel-good moments as well, including an emotional, inspirational reading of original poems by junior Alwin Jones and freshman Chinua Thelwell.
Mel Bernstein, vice president of arts, science and engineering, also shared his reflections on Martin Luther King, Jr. The loss of John F. Kennedy tested democracy, he said, but the loss of Martin Luther King, Jr. "tested our soul."
