MEDIA ADVISORY AND PUBLIC NOTICE 

Congressman Al Green with the Endorsement of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History Introduces the Original Black History Month Resolution of 2025

(Washington, DC) — On Friday, February 28, 2025, Congressman Al Green introduced the Original Black History Month Resolution of 2025. This year's theme, "African Americans and Labor," highlights the labor contributions of African Americans in shaping the landscape of our nation as well as the recognition and celebration of Black History Month. The resolution has received the esteemed endorsement of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the organization originally founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. A copy of this resolution can be accessed by clicking here. 

This resolution highlights the vital role of African American labor in America’s history, from slavery through segregation and beyond. The forced labor of enslaved people built the nation’s economic foundation. This forced labor without compensation includes agriculture, service, and construction. Their contributions continued post-slavery through sharecropping and discriminatory wage work, wherein they almost never received equal pay for equal work. The Great Northward Migration of African Americans during WWI and military integration in WWII were in large part responses to labor needs that allowed African Americans to seek greater employment opportunities. The emerging prowess of the civil rights movement saw the rise of civil rights organizations advocating for equality in the American workforce. Although African Americans have come a long way from providing free labor as enslaved human beings, too many are: unemployed, under-employed, and in the main receiving less pay for their work than white Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the 2023 median annual income of African American men was $55,570 compared to $75,530 for white men, and $50, 470 for African American women compared to $60,450 for white women. Moreover, African American unemployment is generally twice that of white unemployment. 

Congressman Al Green stated, “I am proud to introduce the Original Black History Month Resolution of 2025 to honor the rich legacy of African Americans' contributions to our nation’s labor movement. This legislation is a vital step toward honoring their work and achievements. From their resilience through the brutalities of slavery to the ongoing fight for equity, African Americans have played a critical role as the economic foundational mothers and fathers of our nation, and they have done so without receiving just compensation or well-deserved recognition.”