By Trina Reney Bryant

Since 1926, the United States has recognized Black History annually – first as “Negro History Week” – and later as Black History Month in February. The celebration and acknowledgment of Black History is, in large, part due to the efforts of Carter G. Woodson.

“We should emphasize not Negro history, but the Negro in history,” Woodson once said. “What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate and religious prejudice.”

Woodson, a graduate of Harvard University born in 1875, was disturbed to find that history books ignored the black American population and their contributions to history. As a result, Woodson established the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in 1915. A year later, he created the Journal of Negro History, and in 1926 Woodson launched Negro History Week as an initiative to bring national attention to the contribution of black people throughout American history.

During the month of February, 53 years after his death, universities across the United States remember Carter G. Woodson and participate in the annual celebration of a history long-ignored. Every year, Northeastern’s John D. O’Bryant African American Institute presents a series of events for students to participate in during Black History Month. This year is no different.

“We have our annual Oratory competition and Quiz Bowl,” said Rochelle O’Neal Thorpe, coordinator of events at the African American Institute. “But we also have a lot of other events. I’m really excited about all that we have planned for the month. We encourage everyone to participate.”

Although it is too late to participate in the Oratory contest and win $200 to $1000, it is not too late to participate in the annual Quiz Bowl – where teams from student groups can win prizes and enjoy other festivities.

Last week, Dean of Student Services Dr. J. Keith Motley gave a presentation on the history of blacks at Northeastern and local student movement in the 1960s and 1970s. On Wednesday Feb. 12, the film “Hunting in America” will be shown at the Raytheon Amphitheater from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The film will explore the issues of racial profiling and will be followed by a question and answer session with the director and producer of the film.

On Feb. 18, from noon to 2:00 p.m., students are also invited to lunch and a panel discussion entitled “Leadership by Fraternities and Sororities: One Helping Another,” which will address the impact of African American fraternities and sororities in the black community on campuses. On Feb. 20, the Institute is presenting “Our Kingdom dotcom: Boston Blacks in Technology.”

Associate Dean and Director of the African American Institute Lula Petty-Edwards says that she hopes that these events will encourage people to learn more and inspire them to educate others.

“My hope is that we can be nudged to reach out for the torch to carry it to someone else. That we may study so we may learn and learn so we can teach, and in that way we are able to destroy a little bit of the ignorance that in many ways shackles us all,” said Edwards.

Like Woodson, Petty-Edwards also hopes that schools will start thinking of black history as more than a month but rather as a part of the education process.

“We went from a week to a month and now we need to make it a comprehensive part of our education with no weekly or monthly limit imposed,” she said. “And I don’t think our history can be confined to just America but it must also include looking at Africa and Africans in the Diaspora. We have to look at black history in the context of world history.”

For more information on up-coming events and how to get involved please call 617-373-4919 or