Preserving sacred memories, honoring cultural values, and inspiring community animated the work of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who in 1926 created Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month. Some 10 years prior, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and Culture, an organization devoted to disseminating information about Black life, history, and culture to the global community. By establishing these two institutions, Dr. Woodson left a clear footprint along the pathway of Black self-regard. During the month of February, Black communities are primed to stand just a bit taller inside both of those footprints, institutions established to convey legacy—every day.
The institutional legacy of Black History Month is what makes the choice of speaker for the 2020 Association for the Study of African American Life and History annual luncheon so appropriate. Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the National African American Museum of History and Culture, will stand before luncheon participants as a principal catalyst in the long quest to build a national African American history museum in the United States. By embracing this mission and standing on the shoulders of Woodson and many others, Bunch has helped to construct institutional continuity, to
protect legacy. Click here to discover why Bunch believes knowledge of Black history can renew our sense of community—every day, at his critical time in our history. And click here to enjoy a video on the life and LEGACY of Dr. Carter G. Woodson.