February 12, 1909 – NAACP
America’s largest and oldest civil rights organiztion, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on February 12, 1909 in response to a race riot in Springfield, Illinois.Because of 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 The Niagara Movement was founded on July 11, 1905 at Niagara Falls near Fort Erie, Ontario. The meeting which was organized by W.E.B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter brought together a group of civil rights activists often referred to as anti-Bookerites because of their opposition to some of the more perceived passive approaches to dealing with discrimination advocated by Booker T. Washiington. The men who met at this meeting were supportive of a more aggressive method of ending discrimination in America. They demanded among many things the equitable treatment of all American citizens and all of the rights guaranteed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution.
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.