News Release
NPS / Mathew John
News Release Date: November 9, 2026
Contact:
NCR Communications
WASHINGTON – On Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, the National Park Service reopened the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site following a $14.2 million multiyear rehabilitation that restored the historic property, expanded exhibit space, added a visitor center and improved visitor amenities. Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Kevin Lilly marked the reopening with National Park Service leaders and project partners, including the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and the National Park Foundation.
The site preserves the Washington home, office and organizational headquarters where historian, scholar and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson lived and worked from 1922 until his death in 1950. Woodson founded the organization now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and established Negro History Week in 1926, which later became Black History Month.
“Carter G. Woodson understood that knowing our full history strengthens the nation,” said Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife and Parks Kevin Lilly. “This rehabilitation preserves the place where he built institutions, advanced scholarship and expanded the public’s understanding of African American history. The Department of the Interior and the National Park Service are proud to reopen this nationally significant site and ensure that future generations can learn from Dr. Woodson’s life and legacy.”
The rehabilitation included structural repairs, restoration of historic architectural elements and original interior features, expanded exhibit space and modern visitor improvements. New exhibits use historic spaces, period furnishings, original artifacts and multimedia elements to explore Woodson’s scholarship, institutions and daily life in the home. Support from the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, and other philanthropic partners helped advance the site’s exhibits and visitor experience.
“We are grateful to the donors and partners who joined the National Park Service and ASALH to bring Dr. Woodson’s story to life through new exhibits and visitor experiences,” said Jeff Reinbold, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “Dr. Woodson’s home is where the study of Black history became a national movement, and together, we are making sure this place continues to teach, inspire and invite people to carry his work forward.”
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, including its Woodson House Committee, contributed research, reviewed exhibit content and helped ensure community perspectives were reflected in the visitor experience.
“The home of Dr. Carter G. Woodson is sacred ground for ASALH. It is where he lived, worked, organized and built a movement to preserve and teach Black history,” said Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., National President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. “Homes hold memories and tell stories. His home holds ours. It reminds us of the responsibility he entrusted to us: protect our history, carry it forward and never let it be erased.”
Under President Donald J. Trump's leadership, the National Park Service is preserving America’s historic places and expanding opportunities for Americans to engage with the nation’s history. Through these efforts, the National Park Service is helping preserve America’s heritage and making these places accessible for years to come.
The Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site opened to the public Nov. 7. Regular operating hours will begin Nov. 10. The site will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advance reservations for regular tours are available through Recreation.gov. Walk-in visitors are welcome, subject to tour availability.
For more information, visit nps.gov/cawo or Recreation.gov.
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About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov.
About the National Park Foundation. The National Park Foundation is the nation’s most trusted way for people to support America’s national parks. We work with the National Park Service and partners across the country to fund priority projects that keep parks strong, relevant, and accessible. This work helps ensure parks continue to inspire pride across the country and offer experiences that create meaningful connection. In 2025, NPF funded $100 million in on-the-ground priority projects nationwide, made possible through the generosity of donors, to advance critical work, including infrastructure, restoration, education, and access, ensuring parks continue to endure for generations to come. Learn more at nationalparks.org.
About ASALH. Founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and a small group of colleagues, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has spent more than a century preserving, interpreting, and advancing the study of Black life, history, and culture. Dr. Woodson, often called the “Father of Black History,” understood that Black history is American history. In 1926, he launched Negro History Week, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Black History Month. Today, ASALH carries forward his belief that preserving Black history requires people willing to research it, protect it, teach it, and pass it on. Learn more at asalh.org.
Last updated: November 12, 2026