Progressive Baptist Church's Website
BIOGRAPHIES
Dr. Carter G. WoodsonOn December 19, 1875, in New Canton, Virginia, Carter Woodson was born to James and Anne Woodson. Carter's parents were former slaves who couldn't afford to send him to school regularly. When Carter was seventeen, he earned money for his education by working in the coal mine. He was twenty-two years old when he graduated from high school. Carter earned a teaching degree from Berea College in Kentucky. He received his Ph. D degree from Harvard in 1912. Dr. Woodson devoted much of his life to studying and writing the history of Black Americans. He was known as the "Father of Black History." In 1915, Dr. Woodson organized what is known today as the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. He wanted people to understand and learn to appreciate the history of Black Americans. He also wanted Blacks to have hope for a brighter future. In 1926, Dr. Woodson began the observance of Black History Week. This week was designed to focus on the achievements of Black Americans. He chose the week in February with the birth dates of two great Americans- Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Today, the entire month of February is observed as Black History Month. Dr. Woodson died April 3, 1950, but every February, Americans, Black and White, celebrate and remember the man who started it all....Dr. Carter Goodwin Woodson.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. Dr. King was one of the most beloved and recognized leaders of all time. He was a minister, author, and civil rights leader. He led the battle for racial equality through non-violent protest. Dr. King first gained prominence as leader of the Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott of 1955. In 1957, he helped organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1964, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in trying to achieve equal rights for Black Americans. Dr. King received over three hundred honorary awards . On April 4, 1968, an assassin's bullet took the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Millions of people mourned his death. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the Bill making the third Monday in January a national holiday honoring Dr. King.
Frederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland in 1817. He escaped to New York when he was twenty-one years old. He wanted to see his people free too. Douglass became a great abolitionist and orator. He spoke out against slavery. He helped convince President Abraham Lincoln to accept Black soldiers into the Union Army. For twenty-three years Douglass traveled in the Northern United States, England, Scotland, and Ireland lecturing people on slavery. In 1847, Douglass bought his freedom and became the publisher of a paper called the North Star. He was later named a U. S. Marshall in Washington, D. C. In 1889, Frederick Douglass was apppointed America's Minister to Haiti. Douglass died in 1895, but he will always be remembered as the leading spokesman for Black Americans in the 1800's.
W. E. B. DuboisWilliam Dubois was a famous scholar with degrees from Fisk and Harvard Universities. He believed, through education, Black Americans could gain equality with whites. Dubois was a talented man who was respected throughout the world. He was a writer, sociologist, philosopher, and leader. Dubois spent his entire lfie working for justice and equal rights for Black people. He was a founder of the NAACP. He urged Blacks to register to vote and to become involved in politics. Dubois was the author of more than twenty books including the "Souls of Black Folk" and "Black Folk, Then and Now". Dubois died in 1963 at the age of 95.
Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. Washington was regarded as the most influential Black American leader of his day. He believed that Blacks should learn trades to build up their economic position. In 1881, he founded Tuskegee Institute, a school famous for its agricultural research. Washington was the first Black American to be elected to the Hall of Fame at New York University. He was an advisor on racial problems to two U. S. Presidents. In his best-selling autobiography, "Up From Slavery", Booker T. tells of his rise from slavery to become one of the most outstanding leaders and educators of his time. Booker T. Washington died on November 15, 1915.
Malcolm XNo one expressed the anger that many Black Americans felt during the 50's and 60's more vividly than Malcolm X. Born Malcolm Little, he was only six when his father was killed. His mother had a nervous breakdown several years later. Malcolm was sent to live in a foster home. Before he was twenty-one, he was sent to prison where he discovered a religious group called the Nation of Islam. Malcolm Little became Malcolm X, the leading spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Many Black Americans looked to Malcolm as their leader. He left the Nation of Islam in 1963 and formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Following a trip to Mecca, he changed his name to El Hajj Malik al-Shabazz. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was killed by assassins. The Black Muslims were blamed for the crime.
Jesse JacksonJesse Jackson was born in Greenville, South Carolina on October 8, 1941. During the 1960's, Jesse joined the Civil Rights Movement. He became a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1967, he was appointed Director of Operation Breadbasket. Jackson organized Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity). In 1984 and 1988, Jesse was a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States. He was the first Black man to run for President. Although he did not win, Jesse Jackson has risen from a humble beginning to become one of the most powerful men in America.
Thurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall was born July 2, 1908 in Baltimore. He attended public schools and earned his Bachelor's Degree from Lincoln University in 1930. When he practiced law in his hometown, he represented many clients without getting paid. He served as Chief Counsel for the NAACP's Legal Defense and Education Fund and earned the nickname "Mr. Civil Rights". Between 1965 and 1967, he was U. S. Solicitor-General, the first Black to hold this post. Also in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the U. S. Supreme Court. He was the first Black American ever to serve on the court. Thurgood Marshall died January 24, 1993.
Sojourner TruthSojourner was born a slave named Isabella Baumfree. She ran away from her owner shortly before slaves were freed by law. Sojourner traveled to make speeches against slavery. She fought for Black equality and Womens' rights. Sojourner dedicated her life to opening the doors of freedom for all people.
Harriet TubmanHarriet Tubman was born a slave to slave parents. She was sold and separated from her parents when she was seven years old. Harriet worked as a slave for many years. She escaped to the North and freedom by the Underground Railroad. Harriet was called "Black Moses". She helped three hundred or more slaves escape to freedom.
Ida B. WellsIda Wells wrote about the many injustices suffered by Black people. She made people aware of these sufferings. In 1894, she published the "Red Record", the first book to document the lynching of Black Americans. Ida was also a founder of the NAACP. She became known in the U. S. and throughout the world as a fighter for justice.
Dr. Charles DrewDr. Charles Drew was a native of Washington D. C. He studied medicine at McGill University in Canada. He was a Research Physician who discovered blood plasma and became an expert on blood preservation. During World War II, he established the first blood banks in the United States. Dr. Drew lived from 1904-1950. His name will live forever in medical history.
Percy L. JulianBorn in Montgomery, Alabama in 1899, Percy Julian became a famous Research Chemist. He developed an inexpensive method of making cortisone, a medicine to treat arthritis. Julian also developed a synthetic drug used to treat glaucoma. During World War II, he developed a special foam that was used to put out fires. Percy Julian died in 1975.
James Weldon JohnsonJames was an educator, poet, novelist, diplomat, and Civil Rights leader. In 1920, he became the executive secretary of the NAACP. James wrote many important books about Black Americans' contributions to music, religion, and theater. He also served as a diplomat and consul for the U. S. in Venezuela and Nicaraqua. James and his brother wrote the Negro National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing".
Paul Laurence DunbarPaul Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1872. Paul mastered poetry, novels, short stories, magazine articles, and song lyrics. He was the first Black person recognized nationally as a creative writer. One of his best and most familiar poems, "I, Too" was written when the writer was broke, depressed, and unable to find employment because of racial discrimation. Paul was known as the "Poet Laureate" of his people. Frederick Douglass once called Dunbar "The most promising young colored man in America. On February 9, 1906, Paul Dunbar died of pneumonia at the young age of thirty-four. One could only imagine what heights he could have reached had he lived longer.
Garrett MorganGarrett Morgan was a business man in Cleveland, Ohio. Garrett's first invention was a belt fastener for sewing machines. After witnessing an accident, he invented the automatic traffic signal in 1923. Morgan also invented the safety hood now known as the gas mask. Even today, his inventions remind us of his genius that has saved many lives. Garrett Morgan died in 1963.
