By Thomasine A. Gaither

Special to the Enterprise

Carter G. Woodson (Dec. 19,1875-April 3, 1950) was an American historian, author, journalist and the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. He was one of the first scholars to study African-American history.

Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week.” This week was chosen because of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln – Feb. 12 and of Frederick Douglass on Feb. 14, both of which dates were celebrated in the black community together since the late 19th Century.

With ongoing growth and focus, because of Carter G. Woodson, time would soon consider the month of February to be recognized as Black History Month. As a society due to rapid growth or whatever the reasons that one would choose to qualify or disqualify purposes in life, this particular month was to educate and reveal knowledge to an ethnicity of people that sometimes goes unnoticed.

The accomplishments of black Americans should be and deserves to be recognized alongside all other nationalities because the United States of America is first a democracy and a nation of diversity, with “Liberty and Jusice for All.” It takes all of us together.

Charles Richard Drew revolutionized the medical professon by developing a way to store blood and plasma, and he also created the world’s first blood bank. Born the eldest of five children on June 3, 1904, Drew lived in a racially mixed neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Charles Drew decided to become a medical doctor after his sister died of tuberculosis in 1920. Drew graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He taught for two years, then he went to McGill University in Montreal, Canada, for medical school.

The month of February was always a very special month because of the recognition of Black History Month that mother (Alice Cannady Gaither) would commit her time and prepared weekly an article to submit to the Davie County Enterprise Record. I take pleasure and I am very humbled to continue what she would be doing today.

Mother, this one is for you. I promise that I will do my best to share the knowledge and the ways in which you taught us as a family, that your past can’t take you as far as the wisdom and understanding of education.

In recognition of Alice Cannady – mother – Nonnie – and Nanny: You are my Black History milestone today.

Thank you for your legacy.

I will forever love you, mother.