National Park Service celebrates 149th birthday of Dr. Carter G. Woodson
By J. Pamela Stills Special to the AFRO
Dec. 19 marked the 149th birthday of Dr. Carter G. Woodson. In celebration, the National Park Service (NPS) hosted a birthday celebration on Dec. 14 at Dunbar High School located in Northwest, Washington, D.C. The location is significant, as Dunbar High School is the country’s first Black public high school. As part of the birthday celebration, the NPS presented the 2025 National Theme: African Americans and Labor.
Dr. Carter G. Woodson is known as the “Father of Black History” because of his life’s work. In 1915, he co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History which is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The organization informed society about the contributions of Black Americans in the formation of the country, its history and culture. He is also remembered as a renowned author, with one of his most notable titles, “The Mis-Education of the Negro,” still widely read today.
John Fowler II, NPS supervisory park ranger, presided over the celebration, which kicked off with a jazz selection from the Finn Murphy Quartet. Members of the quartet are all under the age of 18. The musical tribute included a solo of the song, “My Funny Valentine,” by Layla Bunch. Layla, 16, is a student at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts and is the 2025 Virginia E. Hayes Williams opera prize winner.
Featured speakers of the event included Robert C. Warren Jr.; Mr. Robert Stanton, a retired NPS director, and Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, president-Elect of the ASALH. The keynote speaker, Dr. Pero Dagbovie, is the lead historian consultant for the restoration of the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Dagbovie is the former editor of the Journal of African American History, the leading scholarly journal in its field founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1916. He is the university distinguished professor at Michigan State University in
the department of history, vice provost for graduate and postdoctoral studies and dean of the graduate school.
During his remarks, Dr. Dagbovie, spoke of Dr. Woodson in the 1930s, who served as caretaker of what is now the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site in exchange for a place to live free of charge. Dr. Woodson used the home as his base of operations for the early Black history movement–a movement that required and depended upon a lot of Black labor.
Born in New Canton, Va. in 1875, Dr. Woodson passed away April 3, 1950. The Woodson House was added to the national historic sites in February 2006.
Dr. Pero Dagvovie, keynote speaker and caretaker of Dr. Carter G. Woodson home, poses beside a display of the great historian’s postage stamp. Dr. Carter G. Woodson was recognized in 1984 with his own stamp in the Black Heritage Stamp Series, an initiative popularized by the United States Postal Service.
Members of the Kiamsha Youth Empowerment Organization gather at the Carter G. Woodson birthday celebration. Shown here, Whitney Croom (left); Denise Nolan; Caleb Wilson; Miracle Davis; Marc MacAdams; Sarah Robinson; Samuel Bradley and Ayanna Toms.
Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, president-elect of ASALH, delivers a powerful message to the audience during the Carter G. Woodson birthday celebration.
Caleb Wilson is the great grandson of former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry. Wilson told the audience his great grandfather created the summer youth employment program in D.C. He also spoke on how his great grandfather’s work has shown many that opportunities are key to building strong futures.
Robert C. Warren Jr., former third district representative for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, delivers remarks during the birthday celebration for Carter G. Woodson.
John Fowler, II (left), master of ceremonies for the Carter G. Woodson birthday celebration, stands alongside Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, president-elect of ASALH; Dr. Pero Dagbovie the keynote speaker; Robert C. Warren, Jr. Esq.; Robert Santon, retired NPS director, and Michael Commisso, the deputy superintendent of National Capital Parks-East at National Park Service.
Michael Bowie, musical director of the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, introduces the Finn Murphy Quartet.
Ayanna Toms, member of the Kiamsha Youth Empowerment Organization introduces herself as the great, great grand-niece of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. Ayanna spoke on how her aunt fought for racial and gender equality– especially for Black women in the workplace.
Whitney Croom, member of the Kiamsha Youth Empowerment Organization, speaks to descendents of notable Black figures who were present during the birthday celebration.
Layla Bunch performs a rendition of “My Funny Valentine” for the audience. Park Ranger Inez Henry sings the Black National Anthem.
The Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site is located in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The house became a unit of the National Park Service in 2006.
AFRO Photos/ J. Pamela Stills
Afro Charities team hosts annual Mrs. Santa toy giveaway
By AFRO Staff
Since its founding in the 1950s, the Mrs. Santa initiative has served thousands of Baltimore families, becoming a cherished holiday celebration. In the past, families sent letters to the AFRO office, requesting essential items like food, clothing and toys for their children. Today, the tradition is carried on by members of the Afro Charities team, which acts as the fiscal sponsor for the annual drive. Toys from this year’s drive were collected and donated with help from the Steppin’ Out Bunch, the Baltimore Silhouettes and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., who all came together to share the holiday cheer.
For the 2024 installment of the event, members of the Afro Charities partnered with Furman L. Templeton Preparatory Academy, led by Executive Director Rosalind Lockwood and Principal Ladaisha Ballard.
At the event, the social action committee of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.’s Pi Omega Chapter donated bicycles, which were delivered by Dwayne White. Toys were provided by Unlimited Potential, a nonprofit youth center organization founded by Haneef Hardy, and Class Act catered the event, providing eats for all those in attendance.
AFRO team members honor Denise Dorsey with retirement party for 48 years of service
By AFRO Staff
On Dec. 12, the AFRO held its annual staff Christmas party at Matthew’s 1600 in Catonsville, Md. The event is held in honor of all the hard work and dedication provided by staff each year, but this year was special, as the celebration was focused on longtime AFRO Production Manager Denise Dorsey.
Dorsey joined the AFRO 48 years ago when the publication was still using cold type to put the paper together. Today, she uses InDesign to dutifully lay out the pages of the AFRO American Newspapers each week. At the 2024 AFRO Christmas party she was able to fellowship not only with current staff, but AFRO employees from decades past, including Sean Yoes, former AFRO reporter and Baltimore editor, and Talibah Chikwendu, former AFRO executive editor.
Keeping the tradition, AFRO’s staff provided the entertainment for the gathering, complete with a fashion show, a line dance and a selection by the AFRO chorale, which performed a rendition of the song, “That’s What
Denia Payton enjoys the atmosphere during the Mrs. Santa toy giveaway, hosted this year at Furman L. Templeton Preparatory Academy.
Volunteers from Afro Charities join the Furman L. Templeton staff and the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s Pi Omega Chapter at the Mrs. Santa toy giveaway. Shown here, Randolph Scott Jr. (back, left); Bilphena Yahwan; Dwayne White; George Hendricks; Scott Hopewell; Ladaisha Ballard; Nii Sowah; Rosalind Lockwood; Jasmine Clarke and Imani Haynes; Afro Charities Executive Director Savannah Wood (front, left); Freddie Vaughn (front, center) and Deyane Moses, Afro Charities director of programs and partnerships.
DJ SoundsbySeven provides the tunes for the party.
Members of the Afro Charities staff serve lunch to families present for their toy drive.
Toys donated by Unlimited Potential, a non-profit organization with a focus on local youth, are put on display.
Freddi Vaughn (center), in the role of Mrs. Santa, poses with AFRO Director of Operations Andre Draper (left) and AFRO Publisher and CEO Frances ‘Toni’ Draper.
Jerard Thompson (left) and Grace Shipman prepare for participants at the gingerbread house station.
Savannah Wood, Afro Charities executive director, poses after a stop at the face painting station.
Na’laiya Banning enjoys her new toy, courtesy of Afro Charities’ Mrs. Santa program.
AFRO Photos/ Stephen Hopkins
The AFRO team of past and present comes together to honor AFRO Production Manager Denise Dorsey. Shown here, Andre Draper (left, back); Sammy Graham; Mitchell Bolling; Aja Perry; Megan Sayles; Craig Talley; Denise DeLeaver; Tashi McQueen; Diane Hocker; La’Tasha Owens; Ursula Battle; Chakya Brown; Wanda Pearson; Robert Blount; Takiea Hinton; Clarence Massey; Ama Brown; Lenora Howze; Ashleigh Fields; Rev. Dorothy Boulware (front left, standing; Alexis Taylor (front left, kneeling); Denise Dorsey; Dr. Frances ‘Toni’ Draper, and Deyane Moses (front right, kneeling), of Afro Charities. Mitchell Bolling, former AFRO production manager, shares a hearty hug with Denise Dorsey at her retirement party, celebrating 48 years of service to the publication.
Denise Dorsey arrives at the 2024 AFRO Christmas party, only to learn that it is really an early retirement party for her 48 years of service to the publication.
Denise Dorsey (left) shares a moment with AFRO Publisher Emeritus John Oliver and Ursula Battle, a former AFRO reporter.
Artist and former AFRO Advertising Manager Robert Blount presents Denise Dorsey with an original art piece inspired by their time working at the publication together.
Scott Hopewell (left), Dwayne White, Nii Sowah and George Hendricks are representatives of the Pi Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. The organization delivered 20 bicycles to the 2024 Mrs. Santa toy drive.
Friends are For,” with lyrics adjusted in tribute to Dorsey. The fashion show included classic Christmas-themed outfits and the dance team inspired attendees to join a line dance to Christmas classic. The newest group of contributors, the visual arts group, offered a miniature Winter Wonderland, created by AFRO Editorial Assistant Ama Brown Parson and holiday cards from Deyane Moses, director of programs and partnerships for the Afro Charities team.
The celebration proved to be both joyous and sad as many past employees joined in the farewell to Denise Dorsey.
AFRO Photos/ Stephen Hopkins