Dr. Carter G. Woodson was an extraordinary scholar and an important figure in the Afrocentrism movement. Being one of the first people to study African-American history and the history of the African diaspora at large, he is known today as the "Father of Black History," for his incredible contributions to the field. His magnum opus, The Miseducation of the Negro (1933) and its spiritual predecessor The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 (1919) are considered to be among the most comprehensive studies of the history of African-American education in the United States published in the early twentieth century. As individual works, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861 functions as a documentation of the ways in which obtaining education provided mental and intellectual freedom to both enslaved and freed Africans in America; and The Miseducation of the Negro explores the effects of slavery on Black minds, challenging the effectiveness and overall intent of the United States Educational System in regard to the cultural indoctrination of Black Americans. Together, these two works laid the foundation for Woodson's argument in favor of Black History Week, which would eventually grow to be recognized nationally as Black History Month; and are essential to the cultural understanding of the importance in recognizing African-American history as a legitimate field of study.
