Carter G. Woodson was an educator, a historian, and the Father of black history. In 1915, he co-founded an organization called the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which funded the research and documentation of black history, established a home study program, directed the study of black history in schools, and published an international quarterly publication, called the Journal of Negro History. In 1926, Woodson began to promote Negro History Week, week-long celebration of African American history established by the black fraternity Omega Psi Phi. By publicizing it in the Journal of Negro History, Negro History Week gained tremendous popularity, and in 1976 became Black History Month.  

To commemorate Woodson’s life-long dedication to educating the public about black history, this article will highlight some of the historical milestones in the education of African Americans. In the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), the Supreme Court ruled that the racial segregation of schools mandated by the Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas was unconstitutional, because it denied black children the "equal protection of the laws" guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. This finally overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine established almost 60 years prior, in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

In the years that followed, the nation witnessed the gradual integration of its public schools, and at times, resistance to the federal court order. 1957, the governor of Arkansas refused the entry of nine black students into Little Rock's Central High School. When the media aired the public harassment of these students, President Eisenhower dispatched 1,000 federal troops and 10,000 of Arkansas’ newly federalized National Guards to protect them. Known as the "Little Black Nine", they became the first black students to attend the previously all-white school.  

Towards the end of the civil rights movement, nondiscriminatory employment and education policies, known as affirmative action was introduced by President Johnson in 1967. While it has recently become controversial due to claims of reverse discrimination, affirmative action was initially beneficial to the educational advancement of African Americans. Between 1970 and 1977, the number of black students enrolled in colleges and universities doubled to 1.1 million, or 9.3% of the total student enrollment.  Still, in 1971, only 59% of the nation’s black students completed high school, compared to 82% of white students. In recent years, the education gap between blacks and whites has narrowed significantly. In 2005, the high school graduation rate for blacks was 87%, compared to 93% for whites. 

These historical milestones are a cause for celebration and reflection. We must carry on the efforts of those who helped advance the education of African Americans, by assisting our schools in providing quality education to all children. In the past, schools provided a public platform for fighting social injustice, and education served as the means to this end. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for example, was founded by students at Shaw University in April of 1960, and eventually became a leading force in the southern civil rights movement. While this country has taken great strides towards equal education, there is still a lot to be accomplished. Some schools are still internally segregated, offering entirely separate academic tracks for black and white students. We must continue to challenge this discriminatory system, and empower young people to use their education for creating progressive change.