A local historian credited with creating the field of African-American history was honored Thursday nearly three months after his death.

Duke University hosted a ceremony celebrating the life of John Hope Franklin Thursday.

He was widely regarded as the nation's preeminent African-American historian.

Franklin wrote several books on African-American history, including the widely published "From Slavery to Freedom."

"For so long, African-American history has been left out of American history," Franklin's son, John W. Franklin, said.

It was John Hope Franklin who is credited with putting black history into classrooms, history books and American lives.

Even before his death in March at the age of 94, Franklin made it clear to his son that he didn't want history to remember him in a traditional way.

"My father and mother did not want traditional funeral services," Franklin said. "My father agreed to have a celebration if it were for both of them."

On Thursday, June 11, 2009, which would have been the couples 69th wedding anniversary, hundreds of people are expected to come to the chapel on Duke University's campus to celebrate the Franklin's lives.

Franklin last served as the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History for Duke.

"It was marvelous to watch him share his knowledge of American history and society with people who were not historians," his son said.

Franlklin was also a man of service.

In 1997, former President Bill Clinton appointed franklin to his task force on race.

Clinton is scheduled to speak at the service Thursday.

"It's very important to know on whose shoulders we stand," John W. said. "We didn't invent it. We didn't start it. Where we are depended on people who came before us."
The service starts tomorrow at 11am.