Gulf Pine Catholic • March 27, 2026 15 BAY ST. LOUIS -- February 2026 marked the 100th anniversary of Black History Month created by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. It marked a milestone of both progress and persistence in the United States, the 100th anniversary of federal recognition for Black Americans. What began as a singular week of learning and recognition called Negro History Week in 1926 grew into an overall cultural observance of Black History throughout the month of February. The architect of this movement was Dr. Carter G. Woodson. A historian and educator, he also holds the distinction of being the second African American to receive a PhD from Harvard University following Dr. W.E.B. DuBois. As a son of former enslaved parents, Woodson understood that denying people their history denies them their humanity. Woodson stated, “Those who have no record of what their forbears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” To combat that, he launched Negro History Week (NHW) to coincide with the February birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, the two figures who Woodson felt were symbolically tied to African American freedom. Woodson’s goal was simple but ambitious: to integrate Black History into the educational curriculum, public libraries, local churches, and communities at large across the nation. He did not design the week to be a symbolic gesture; instead, it was meant to be a permanent shift in how America viewed itself. For 40 years, educators embraced it, churches amplified it, and civic groups built programs around it. In the 1960’s, the Civil Rights Movement emerged and Negro History Week became more reflective of the urgency of a nation grappling with its conscience. In 1976, the US formally expanded the week-long recognition into Black History Month with the essence of Woodson’s vision remaining unchanged. Black History is not a side bar to American history, it is part of it. We end this Century Celebration of Black History Month with thanks to the man, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who would not give up his vision to show his people and the people of the world the gifts that African Americans have fostered through years of trials and tribulation. African Americans have never forgotten the stories told to us by our ancestors. We continue the year 2026 with the Centennial Celebration of St. Rose de Lima Catholic Church, a Church built in 1926 by black contractors and workers. The Society of the Divine Word saw the need for African Americans to have their own school and church. One hundred years later our doors are still open to all. No one can take away the history of a people if we continue to spread our history by words and lessons to our children, our families and our community. We pray that we, as a people, remember our past and embrace our future, knowing that we have “Come This Far by Faith.” St. Rose celebrates Black History Month, centennial celebration of Black History The Rosary Makers from Holy Family Parish came to St. Vincent dePaul School on Tuesday, March 10, and taught the sixth graders how to make Rosaries. They brought all the supplies and let the students select which beads they wanted to use. The ladies shared their love of the Rosary and our Blessed Mother with the children. They asked the students to pray their Rosary when they get home and then later to ask their parents to pray with them, too. After that, the children are free to keep the rosary beads for themselves, or they can give them away like the Rosary Makers (the ladies) do. Both sixh grade classes, teachers Briley Lassabe and Cindy Cox; room parents Marla Hansen and Ellen Culpepper; and the Rosary Makers Faye Johnson, Ronnie Niolet, Marsha Brown, Chris Goulet and Aimee Tramontana Holy Family Parish Rosary Makers visits St. Vincent de Paul School to teach rosary making Luke Richardson, Cindy Cox (sixth grade teacher), Anna Ladner William Van Dalsem and Aimee Tramontana (Rosary Maker)
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