Reflection of VCCS Chancellor David Doré in recognition of Black History Month

One of the advantages of being relatively new to Virginia (I arrived last April) is the satisfaction of discovering more about the history of my new home. And I believe it’s appropriate for us, as people in the learning business, to remember and pay homage to the Virginia-born historian who can rightly be seen as the father of Black History Month.

Carter Woodson, 1875-1950

The work of Carter Woodson, born the son of freed slaves in Buckingham County in 1875, laid the foundation for recognizing the contributions, sacrifice, and rich cultural heritage that African Americans have brought to our still-evolving nation.

Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and led the establishment of “Negro History Week” in 1926, which set the stage for Black History Month, recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976. Dr. Woodson’s own story of perseverance and achievement is just one of the many chapters well worth our attention as we observe Black History Month this year.

At Virginia’s Community Colleges we’re blessed to work with colleagues and scholars with deep knowledge and appreciation of our complicated history. As Dr. Tiffany Ray-Patterson at Germanna Community College noted, “The histories of Black Americans in this country are deeply rooted and undeniably inextricable from American History. We observe Black History Month to honor the legacy of these histories, as we continue to educate ourselves, seek justice, and promote unity though our shared lived experiences.”

Let’s take advantage of this time and opportunity to build on our knowledge and understanding.

Black students are an important part of our family of learners at Virginia’s Community Colleges. In AY 2023, VCCS enrolled 35,681 African American students in our credit programs, almost 18 percent of our total credit student population statewide. In workforce/credit programs, Black students are a quarter of the enrollment and Black students are 30 percent of our FastForward students.

Here are some additional resources to consider, and scroll down to check out Black History Month activities at many of our colleges:

About Carter Woodson