Negro History Week was founded in 1926 by NAACP leader, Dr. Carter Woodson. In 1976, Negro History Week was expanded to Black History Month. Carter G. Woodson originally founded “Negro History Week” in 1926, at a time when most history books lacked any information of African-American history and the main role African-Americans played in the birth of America. Woodson chose February because it fell together with the birthdays of two men who fought for freedom of American slaves. These two men were Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It was created to educate the American people about the achievements and background of the culture of African-Americans. During Black History Month, African American history is taught to thousands of students throughout schools in the U.S. respectively.