The National Negro Health Week Movement

The birth of the National Negro Health Week was the timely fruition of Booker T. Washington’s practicable philosophy of “head, heart, hand, - and health” education for effective service and wholesome living. Dr. Robert R. Moton, Principal Emeritus of Tuskegee Institute, who as successor to Dr. Washington in 1915, guided the National Negro Health Week movement toward its destined objectives, in his article, “Organized Negro Effort for Racial Progress,” briefly defined the origin of the Health Week: Another movement of large public significance which has met with gratifying success and which also originated within the race itself is what is known as National Negro Health Week. This movement originated in Virginia in 1913, but was shortly after nationalized by the late Dr. Booker T. Washington…