February of 2026 marks the 100th observance of Black History Month in the United States. This is an important milestone which commemorates the countless contributions that African Americans have made to our nation and the world.
The University Libraries has setup a display to honor the founder and inspiration behind this tribute. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) is remembered as a legendary figure in the Civil Rights movement as a social reformer, abolitionist, writer, speaker, and statesman over the course of his lifetime.
Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) was a historian, author, journalist and journal editor. He founded the Association for the Study of African American Life & History (ASALH). He pioneered the study of the African American diaspora and devised the observation of Black History Week (as a starting point) in 1926 until it expanded to the full month of February decades later. Woodson chose the second month of the year based on the birthday of Frederick Douglass. Douglass never knew when his real day of birth was so he chose Valentine’s Day (February 14th) as a substitute.
When it comes information related to Douglass (Books, Journals), Woodson (Books, Journals), and African America History Month (Books, Journals) among several other topics related to the full Africana (Library Guide) experience, the University Libraries houses several resources related to these specific topics and several other subject areas of importance.
We welcome you to our information center in the near future, but in the meantime if you need detailed help through the University Libraries. You can book a research appointment here: Research Appointment Site