Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln

Negro History Week was created in 1926  by  historian Carter G. Woodson.  Woodson, along with the Association for the study of Negro Life and History, claimed the second week of February to be "Negro History Week."  The week was chosen because it coincided with the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, on February 12th and the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass, February 14th.  Born into slavery Frederick Douglass did not have records of his actual birthday. 
Douglass first met President Lincoln on July of 1863, at the White House.  It was the first of many meetings.  "I was never more quickly or more completely put at ease in the presence of a great man than in that of Abraham Lincoln," wrote Frederick Douglass.  The purpose of Douglass' visit was, among other things, to request that Black soldiers receive the same wages as whites, to assure them the same protection if taken prisoner and to include them in prisoner exchanges.  Lincoln promised to do what he could on each request.