Virginia has contributed more than its fair share to the
history of this great republic of ours. From the first President, George
Washington, to the nation�s first elected African-American governor, Doug
Wilder, Virginia�s sons and daughters have contributed an enormous amount to
the rich tapestry of America, perhaps especially in the fields of
statesmanship, politics, athletics, the arts, and education.
These contributions have come from Virginians in all walks
of life, from the four corners of the Commonwealth, from the 17th century to
the present day, and from Virginians of all ethnic backgrounds, from black
to white to the Native Americans whose ancestors lived in this bountiful,
blessed land for countless generations before the first Europeans touched
its shores.
We are pleased to feature in this month�s issue a
fascinating portrait of one of Virginia�s most outstanding citizens, Booker
T. Washington, who was born into slavery near Roanoke, and through grit and
hard work later became a world-class educator, orator, author and the
founder of Tuskegee Institute. In the course of doing background research on
him, we bumped into another, perhaps less-known black Virginian, Dr. Carter
G. Woodson, who was equally influential in his own way and as accomplished
in his own right as was the legendary Booker T. Washington.
For those not familiar with Dr.
Woodson (which, I must confess, would include yours truly before doing this
research), he was born in New Canton, a crossroads village in Buckingham
County, in 1875. Over the next three-quarters of a century, till his death
in 1950, he became one of the most powerful voices in the African-American
community. Through his work as a teacher, author, journalist and,
especially, historian, he served as a passionate advocate for the importance
of black history and a chronicler of the myriad contributions of
African-Americans in virtually every realm of American life.
In fact, in becoming the �Father of Black History,� Dr.
Woodson in 1926 almost single-handedly promoted the celebration and study of
black history by designating the second week of February as a time to study
the lives and contributions of two icons of the black community, President
Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. This week later
grew into what we know today as Black History Month, still celebrated in
February.
To learn more about the contributions of black Virginians,
go to the state�s �Virginia Is for Lovers� Web site, at www.virginia.org,
and under �Attractions� click on �History and Heritage,� and then on
�African American.� In this section you�ll find a wealth of fascinating
historical and cultural information, including brief
biographies on just a few of Virginia�s many
notable black citizens, including such female
luminaries as Richmond�s Maggie Walker, who became the
first woman bank president in the nation; Clifton Forge�s Roger Arliner
Young, the first African-American woman to be awarded a doctorate in
zoology; and Newport News� Ella Fitzgerald, the �First Lady of Song� and a
Grammy award-winning jazz singer whose amazing range and exhilarating vocal
runs thrilled audiences worldwide as she performed with some of the world�s
greatest musicians, from Louis Armstrong to Frank Sinatra.
Also included on the list are such notables as Halifax
County�s (Clover�s) own Willie Lanier, whose stellar career with the Kansas
City Chiefs led him to election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and who
has since contributed to the philanthropic and business life of his adopted
home of Richmond; Norfolk�s Tim Reid, an outstanding TV actor and director;
and Richmond�s Arthur Ashe, a Medal of Freedom award winner whose later
contributions as a humanitarian and inspired and inspiring writer and
commentator perhaps overshadowed even his excellence as one of the world�s
greatest tennis players, the latter cemented with his Wimbledon championship
in 1975.
The list, of course, goes on ... and on, and continues to
expand. A month to celebrate this rich history will, we hope, only serve as
a prompt for all of us to study in greater breadth and depth the fascinating
narrative of our Commonwealth, our country and our world. Let�s
resolve to explore, examine, research and honor our best
and brightest citizens, from all cultures and backgrounds and eras, from
George Washington to Booker T. Washington, in the fullest, worthiest way
possible, by doing so month in and month out, year in and year out.
