Most people think they know Black history because they can name a few moments, recognize a handful of dates, and recall a few speeches they were taught mattered. And yet, many of those same people are consistently surprised by the present, by backlash, by retrenchment, and by how fragile progress actually turns out to be.

Carter G. Woodson is widely celebrated as the Father of Black History, a title he earns through his foundational work in establishing Negro History Week, which eventually grew into Black History Month. This initiative transformed how America reflects on its past.