Carter G. Woodson: The Man Who Put "Black" in American History

Grade 4-6-Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves, received a Ph.D. in history from Harvard and spent his entire adult life working to insure that black history would be included in the study of U.S. history. His life of research, writing, and teaching led to the establishment of Black History Month and the inclusion of the contributions of African Americans in scholarly books and textbooks. Haskins and Benson give a well-written, balanced portrayal of Woodson's life and achievements. Reim's six black-and-white full-page illustrations are painted with bold images in the style of modern murals. Small figures along the bottom of the paintings look up as if viewing the scene from the street. The artwork depicts aspects of Woodson's life while containing elements symbolic of the African-American struggle. The artist explains each painting in an "Art Notes" section. Patricia and Fredrick McKissack's Carter G. Woodson (Enslow, 1991) is a more simplified account for younger readers.
Eunice Weech, M. L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From creating the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 to founding Negro History Week in 1926 (which became Black History Month in the 1970s), Woodson's achievements in bringing awareness to the black American experience beyond slavery are indisputable, but remain largely unknown to the general public. This biography highlights the obstacles and triumphs of Woodson's life, from childhood poverty to achieving a formal education, illustrating many challenges facing blacks in the early twentieth century. Simple, accessible prose paints a dimensional portrait, aptly accompanied by abstract, evocative black-and-white artwork, with subjects and symbolism explained in an artist's note at the beginning. The profile is well-rounded, acknowledging both Woodson's virtues and shortcomings, and it effectively conveys his importance in encouraging black pride and the recognition of blacks' diverse contributions to American history. The brief bibliography includes only one Woodson article, although many of his works are cited in the text. Shelle Rosenfeld