Nick Rahall: “Carter G. Woodson's professional accomplishments are impressive. In 1915, while a professor at Howard University here in…”

“Carter G. Woodson's professional accomplishments are impressive. In 1915, while a professor at Howard University here in Washington, DC, Dr. Woodson launched the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, an organization that would come to represent his life's work--the documentation and dissemination of the history of African Americans. Through Dr. Woodson's work, and the work of his organization, Negro History Week was established in 1926 and expanded to Black History Month in 1976. Based on his lifelong scholarship and leadership, Dr. Woodson well deserved his title as the ``Father of Black History.'' In addition to these professional accomplishments, however, Dr. Woodson's personal life was one of amazing accomplishment as well. Born in Virginia in 1875, the child of slaves, Dr. Woodson was unable to attend school as a child. However, after teaching himself to read and write, Dr. Woodson and his brother moved to Huntington, WV, in my congressional district, when Dr. Woodson was seventeen.”