February 1 is the start of Black History Month, the annual celebration of achievements by African Americans, and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
The significance of Black History Month lies in its role in highlighting the struggles and triumphs of African Americans throughout history. It serves as a time to reflect on the resilience of Black communities in the face of oppression, from the transatlantic slave trade to the civil rights movement and beyond.
The 2025 Black History Month theme, African Americans and Labor, focuses on the various and profound ways that work of all kinds intersect with the collective experiences of Black people.
Did you know, 2025 marks the 100-year anniversary of the creation of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids by labor organizer and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, which was the first Black union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor?
Martin Luther King, Jr. incorporated issues outlined by Randolph’s March on Washington Movement such as economic justice into the Poor People’s Campaign, which he established in 1967. For King, it was a priority for Black people to be considered full citizens. Due to this early work, eradication of wage discrepancies, unfair hiring practices and system racism in the workplace has become a focal point for most companies.
CMC celebrates and salutes African Americans who have fought against workforce and labor injustice and have paved the way for a more prosperous future, free of disparities and discrimination. By embracing and understanding Black history, society moves closer to achieving racial equality and justice for all.