The celebration of Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, an African American historian, scholar, educator and publisher. It became a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and Culture has established themes for Black History Month since 1928. The theme for Black History Month 2025 is "African Americans and Labor.”

African Americans have played a pivotal role in shaping the American labor movement, despite facing systemic racism, segregation, and economic exploitation. Their contributions span from the era of slavery to modern labor organizing, and their struggle for fair wages, better working conditions, and equity reflects a broader fight for civil rights and social justice. Below is an overview of their key contributions and historical milestones, with a focus on the Great Migration and union organization.

The Great Migration was the movement of approximately six million African Americans from rural areas of the Southern states of the United States to urban areas in the Northern states between 1916 and 1970. It occurred in two waves, before and after the Great Depression.

Ella Baker: A community organizer who also focused on economic self-sufficiency and worker empowerment for African Americans.

Life as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker

Dorothy Bolden: Founder of the National Domestic Workers Union, advocating for fair wages and working conditions for domestic workers, many of whom were Black women.

Life Story: Dorothy Bolden

Fannie Lou Hamer: Known for her work advocating for Black farmers and sharecroppers, Hamer's activism extended to economic justice and voter rights.

How Fannie Lou Hamer Changed America

Philip Randolph: Labor leader and civil rights activist who founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and played a pivotal role in advocating for African American labor rights.

Black History: Philip Randolph

Bayard Rustin: A civil rights strategist who also organized around labor issues, particularly advocating for fair employment practices.

Bayard Rustin: The Man Who Transformed the Civil Rights Movement