u003cpu003eu003cemu003eu003cstrongu003eBy Thomas Claiborne IV, Parent Advisory Council Memberu003c/strongu003eu003c/emu003eu003c/pu003ernrnu003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/legacy-1.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022wp-image-10624 size-mediumu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/legacy-1-233x300.jpgu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022233u0022 height=u0022300u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e Image from the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institutionrnrnu003cpu003eIn February of 1926, a man by the name of Carter Godwin Woodson launched a celebration of u0022Negro History Week,u0022 now known as Black History Month.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eThe father of commemorating black history was born December 19, 1875 in Canton, Virginia, and passed away on April 3, 1950.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eI want to reflect on his life and see if we can pick up some personal resilience tips.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eHe was the son of former slaves Anne Eliza (Riddle) and James Henry Woodson. His parents were both illiterate and his father, who had helped the Union soldiers during the Civil War, supported the family as a carpenter and farmer. The Woodson family was impoverished but proud. The happiest day of their lives was when they became free. Carter was often unable to attend primary school regularly because he needed to help out on the farm. Furthermore, he had to put off additional schooling while he worked in the coal mines of West Virginia (talk about ACEs!).u003ca href=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Thomas-Claiborn.pngu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-10172 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://pcaaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Thomas-Claiborn.pngu0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022168u0022 height=u0022300u0022 /u003eu003c/au003eu003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eCarter graduated from Berea College and became a teacher and school administrator. He earned graduate degrees at the University of Chicago and, in 1912, was the second African American (after W. E. B. Du Bois) to obtain a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Carter spent most of his academic career at Howard University (my alma mater, incidentally), a historically black university in Washington, D.C., where he eventually served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eCarter had a vision of creating an institutional structure that would make it possible for black scholars to study history. Although he had a clear vision, he lacked funds, so he took it upon himself to invite investors to participate with his idea. He collected nickels and dimes from kids in Sunday school and, eventually, big checks from philanthropists.u003c/pu003ernu003cpu003eAll in all, because of this one man's resilience, we all have a more enriched pathway forward.u003c/pu003e
