Woodson, Carter G.

Woodson, Carter G.

▪ American historian
in full  Carter Godwin Woodson  
born Dec. 19, 1875, New Canton, Va., U.S.
died April 3, 1950, Washington, D.C.
 American historian who first opened the long-neglected field of black studies to scholars and also popularized the field in the schools and colleges of black people. To focus attention on black contributions to civilization, he founded (1926) Negro History Week.

      Of a poor family, Woodson supported himself by working in the coal mines of Kentucky and was thus unable to enroll in high school until he was 20. After graduating in less than two years, he taught high school, wrote articles, studied at home and abroad, and received his Ph.D. from Harvard University (1912). In 1915 he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History to encourage scholars to engage in the intensive study of the black past. Prior to this work, the field had been largely neglected or distorted in the hands of historians who accepted the traditionally biased picture of blacks in American and world affairs. In 1916 Woodson edited the first issue of the association's principal scholarly publication, The Journal of Negro History, which, under his direction, remained an important historical periodical for more than 30 years.

      Woodson was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and head of the graduate faculty at Howard University, Washington, D.C. (1919–20), and dean at West Virginia State College, Institute, W.Va. (1920–22). While there, he founded and became president of Associated Publishers to bring out books on black life and culture, since experience had shown him that the usual publishing outlets were rarely interested in scholarly works on blacks.

      Important works by Woodson include the widely consulted college text The Negro in Our History (1922; 10th ed., 1962); The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 (1915); and A Century of Negro Migration (1918). He was at work on a projected six-volume Encyclopaedia Africana at the time of his death.

Additional Reading
Jacqueline Goggin, Carter G. Woodson: A Life in Black History (1993).

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  • Woodson, Carter G(odwin) — (19 dic. 1875, New Canton, Va., EE.UU.–3 abr. 1950, Washington, D.C.). Historiador estadounidense. Nació en una familia pobre y Woodson se ganó la vida como minero del carbón, y no pudo matricularse en la escuela secundaria sino hasta los 20 años …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Woodson, Carter G(odwin) — born Dec. 19, 1875, New Canton, Va., U.S. died April 3, 1950, Washington, D.C. U.S. historian. Born into a poor family, he supported himself as a coal miner and was unable to enroll in high school until he was 20. He went on to receive a Ph.D.… …   Universalium

  • Carter — (De J. H. Carter, nombre de su inventor.) ► sustantivo masculino 1 MECÁNICA Pieza que protege la cadena de transmisión en la bicicleta. 2 MECÁNICA Caja, generalmente metálica, que protege algunas piezas del motor. * * * cárter (de «J. H. Carter» …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • cárter — (De J. H. Carter, nombre de su inventor.) ► sustantivo masculino 1 MECÁNICA Pieza que protege la cadena de transmisión en la bicicleta. 2 MECÁNICA Caja, generalmente metálica, que protege algunas piezas del motor. * * * cárter (de «J. H. Carter» …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Carter — /kahr teuhr/, n. 1. Bennett Lester (Benny), born 1907, U.S. jazz saxophonist and composer. 2. Don(ald James), born 1926, U.S. bowler. 3. Elliott (Cook, Jr.), born 1908, U.S. composer. 4. Hodding /hod ing/, 1907 72, U.S. journalist and publishe …   Universalium

  • Carter G. Woodson — Carter Godwin Woodson (December 19 1875 April 3 1950) [ Current Biography 1944 , pp741 44; Herbert Aptheker, ed., The Correspondence of W.E.B. DuBois , (U. of Massachusetts Press, 1997) p182 ] was an African American historian, author, journalist …   Wikipedia

  • Woodson K-8 School — Carter G. Woodson K 8 School is a Title I combined primary and secondary school located in Houston, Texas, United States.Woodson serves grades kindergarten through 8 and is a part of the Houston Independent School District.The school was named… …   Wikipedia

  • Woodson — ist der Name mehrerer Personen: Abe Woodson (* 1934), US amerikanischer Footballspieler Ali Ollie Woodson (1951–2010), US amerikanischer Soulsänger Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950), US amerikanischer Historiker Charles Woodson (* 1976), US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Carter — is a common English name and can be a given name or surname. The name is derived from the occupation carter , a person who carries things in a cart. It is also used to refer to someone who is lucky at cards and lucky in love.Carter may refer… …   Wikipedia

  • Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site — Infobox nrhp2 | name =Carter G. Woodson House nrhp type = nhl nhl=yes nhs=yes caption = Carter G. Woodson House location= 1538 9th St., NW, Washington, D.C. lat degrees = 38 lat minutes = 54 lat seconds = 36 lat direction = N long degrees = 77… …   Wikipedia

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