John,
Today and every day, we must remember that this nation was built on the stolen land of Indigenous people and the stolen labor and lives of our African Ancestors. Dr. W.E.B. DuBois refers to the Civil War as the first "general strike."
As early as 1866, just a year out of the war, Black washerwomen in Jackson, Mississippi joined "in union," to set "uniform rates," refusing to undercut each other's labor. And as recent as this April, did a majority-Black Amazon workforce in Staten Island, New York make history by voting to unionize – the first Amazon union.
We honor them, along with the Spirits of historic Black labor leaders who forged the path. It's on us to continue to build a labor movement that centers on both workers' rights and racial and social justice.
This extraordinary effort to silence the voices of Black workers isn't anything new. For far too long, Black workers have been treated poorly and disproportionately discriminated against by their employers. Unionizing is one of the best ways workers can address racial inequities in the workplace and fight for other benefits like higher wages and better health care.
The history of Black people and the labor movement is long and deep. Today, and every day, we honor the labor, and the labor organizing, of our Ancestors and our people – we're proud to uplift the work of these organizations dedicated to advancing Black workers' rights.
Black Workers For Justice
The BWFJ is an organization of Black workers formed in December of 1982 out of a struggle led by Black women workers at a K-mart store in Rocky Mount, North Carolina against race and gender discrimination. After organizing a boycott of the local K-mart store and reaching out to workers at other workplaces and communities, Black workers and community activists from 10 counties met at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Fremont, NC in December 1982 to form BWFJ as a statewide organization.
Black Workers Matter
Black Workers Matter is an Austin neighborhood-based, independent movement of workers fighting racism in hiring and on the job in west side & near west suburban TIF industrial districts. BWM and partners have forged new alliances, like the new citywide Equitable Development Roundtable, and are organizing an alternative paradigm for the city's master plan, one built on democratic—rather than top-down technocratic—values, and borrowing proven best practices. They prioritize dismantling segregation-for-profit.
Black workers across the country have built the formal and informal labor movement. We continue to experience the widening of the wealth gap, the erosion of workers' rights, and right-wing efforts to undermine unions -- all at the particular expense of our Black working class.
It's beyond time to advance and protect the rights of Black workers in the United States. We look forward to continuing this fight alongside you, John.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
