Woodson created the week for one simple reason—to honor black history.

His efforts were the foundation for what would become Black History Month, which was officially established during our country's bicentennial in 1976.

When I started researching the history of this month-long event, I had no idea that its origins stemmed back to the 1920s. I'd never heard of Carter G. Woodson, and I'd be willing to bet my last dime that neither have the majority of citizens in this country, of any race. And not knowing anything about this individual made me curious to learn more about the man dubbed the "father of black history."

I began reading more about his remarkable life and learning about a man who refused to watch his heritage buried in the retelling of American history. He became an educator, an activist, an editor and an author. This man, who was born in 1875 and received a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University in 1912, chose to chronicle the history of blacks so there would be an accurate record.

Woodson is the perfect example of an individual who made a significant impact on black history but was given minimum, if any, coverage in American history classes. I don't even recall reading about the man in the black history course I took in college.

Yet he was the keeper of the torch of African American history, a man who provided to anyone interested an incredible wealth of information. He wrote The History of the Negro Church, The Negro in Our History, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861, Negro Orators and Their Orations and countless other articles and books. He also chronicled his people's heritage from the beginning of slavery until after the Civil War.

But I'm not surprised his name never appeared on my radar screen, because I didn't pay much attention to Black History Month until Martin Luther King's birthday—Jan. 15—became a federal holiday and my children were required to do book reports in school.

Yet it shouldn't have taken me this long to learn about Woodson. I should have been doing my homework. Because the more we know, the more educated we become and the less ignorant we are as a people and the more tolerant and understanding we become toward each other.

And this year's month-long recognition seems more timely than ever, as we read about Sen. Trent Lott's pro-segregation remarks at Sen. Strom Thurmond's birthday celebration. And Bill Black, a leading candidate for the position of chairman of the California Republican Party says it's a shame the South lost the war because Reconstruction—not slavery—has been the cause of our country's problems with racial conflict.

Those statements come from individuals who have never stopped for a moment to consider how people from all walks of life have made major contributions to their lives and our country—amazing individuals like George Washington Carver, whose inventions and knowledge in agriculture helped farmers move beyond growing cotton and learning new ways to improve their soil. Or Frederick Jones, who invented the first automatic refrigeration system for long-haul trucks, which means people enjoying California fruits and vegetable on the East Coast have a black man to thank. Then there's Elijah McCoy, who invented the automatic lubrication system that was first used in steam engines. I bet most folks have no idea that the expression "the real McCoy" originated from an invention by an African American.

But what this really means is we need to learn more about all people who have played a role in our present-day lives and how their actions impacted our country.

And if one month in the year singles out a particular culture, let's embrace that and read a book or a magazine or visit a website that tells us more about what makes us all Americans. Kicking it off on Martin Luther King's birthday is a good starting point. And following it up in February—Black History Month—is a terrific way to continue the process and learn about people like Woodson, McCoy and Jones, because those we seem to know the least about are often the ones who have contributed the most.

Moryt Milo is the editor of The Willow Glen Resident. She can be contacted at 400.200.1051 or mmilo@svcn.com.