ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

6 days ago

Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) was a pioneering Black educator, orator, and leader whose contributions to the labor movement and Black history were rooted in his belief in economic self-reliance, industrial education, and the transformative power of work. Born into slavery, Washington rose to national prominence after founding Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881, where he built an institution focused on training African Americans in trades such as agriculture, carpentry, printing, and domestic sciences. He saw vocational education not as a limitation but as a pathway to empowerment, arguing that Black workers could gain economic stability, community pride, and long-term influence by becoming indispensable through their skills. Washington encouraged Black people to “cast down their bucket where they were,” to work hard, build wealth, and establish self-sufficient communities. He worked with both Black leaders and white philanthropists to fund educational initiatives and Black-owned businesses, laying the groundwork for cooperative economics and future labor organizing. While his emphasis on accommodation and economic progress over direct political confrontation sparked debate—especially among more radical thinkers like W.E.B. Du Bois—Washington’s approach helped elevate the role of Black labor in America’s development. His legacy endures in the continued pursuit of economic justice and vocational excellence in the Black community.Learn More: www.history.com/articles/booker-t-washington#ASALH #AfricanAmericansAndLabor #BookerTWashington ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

1 week ago

It’s National Volunteer Week, and what better time to make history with us? 🙌🏾We’re calling all changemakers, history lovers, educators, and lifelong learners to volunteer for the 110th ASALH Conference in Atlanta this fall! Your time and talent can help shape an unforgettable experience.Sign Up Today: asalh.org/conference/volunteers/#ASALH #AfricanAmericansAndLabor #ASALHAtlanta#ASALH110 #VolunteerWeek #ATL2025#MakeHistoryWithUs #ASALHVolunteers ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

1 week ago

Call for Posters and Proposals 📢ASALH is now accepting submissions for our 110th Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA — happening September 24–27, 2025!This year’s theme, African Americans & Labor, invites fresh perspectives on the legacy, impact, and power of Black labor across history. Submit your poster, individual paper, panel, or media session and join us in keeping Carter G. Woodson’s mission alive.🗓️ Deadline: May 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST🔗 Submit today at asalh.org/conference/call-for-proposals ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

2 weeks ago

Sarah White (also known as Sarah Hamer, 1958–2020) was a trailblazing labor organizer and revolutionary humanist who played a central role in the Catfish Workers union drive in Mississippi during the 1980s and 1990s. A fearless advocate for the rights of Black working-class women, White brought her deep political insight and unwavering commitment to justice into every space she occupied—from the shop floor to the union hall to the pages of News & Letters, where she wrote the longstanding column “Woman as Reason.” Her activism wasn’t confined to a single campaign; in the mid-1990s, she co-founded the Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human Rights alongside fellow radical organizer Jaribu Hill, who continues to lead the organization today. Together, they built a movement rooted in human dignity, collective power, and a vision for liberation shaped by the voices of Black women workers. White’s legacy lives on not only in the lives she touched, but also in the ongoing work of comrades like Hill and in the scholarship and organizing efforts of a new generation committed to telling these stories and continuing the fight.#ASALH #AfricanAmericansAndLabor #SarahWhite ... See MoreSee Less

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