Almost 100 years ago, Carter G. Woodson called upon Black intellectuals, not only to defend their integrity and examine the values of their contributions to America, but also, to put an end to the lies that were being perpetuated by the self-declared scholars, historians and pseudo-scientists, who began their degrading and humiliating attack on Africa and the Africans. These anti-African groups went to describe Africa as the “Dark Continent,” full of savage tribes and devoid of any attributes of civilization before the coming of Europeans. Writing and lecturing, in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson, they made every effort to justify the inferior social economic and political positions America assigned to Black citizens. Woodson saw that the celebration of Black History Month may help to educate both whites and blacks about the Black contribution to America and the world and thus may help to enhance efforts to improve race relations at home. He also saw that by demonstrating to the world that Africa and people of African descent have and continue to contribute to the advancement of world civilization, he would regain a respectful place for Africa in the world community.

Since 1926, we have been celebrating Black History Month every February by examining Black struggles against slavery, social injustice and for equality.  Every year in February we review direct and indirect contributions of Blacks to our nation and the world without sufficient efforts to examining the African people’s contribution to Western civilization. Woodson believed then, as I do today, that Africa is the great genealogical tree while African-Americans and all Africans in Diaspora are the branches of that great tree. To appreciate the branch but not the tree is to negate the very purpose of the celebration. It is impossible to have lasting respect for the people of African origin, if we don’t have respect for Africa and for the African’s contribution to our world.  For the sake of empowering our children and ourselves, I appeal to African and Black scholars to start discussing objectively the African contribution to philosophy, science, art and religion, if not 365 days a year, at least during Black History Month. Let us be proud of our accomplishments, and equally proud of our African root.