
Our Authors Study Club, Inc. (OASC) is continuing its long tradition of honoring the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans during Black History Month in February despite the traumatic wildfires and ongoing recovery. “Even in this moment of profound challenge, we are reminded of why the vision of Dr. Carter G. Woodson–the father of this annual salute to Black history–remains so vital to our community’s resilience,” Dr. Lura Daniels-Ball, president of OASC, said. Expressing support, grief and condolences to victims who lost family members, homes and all of their processions, she also acknowledged the deeply rooted, multi-generational African American community in Altadena, which was hard-hit by the blazes.
This Black History Month celebration marks the OASC partnership, that began in 1950 by founder Vassie D. Wright with Los Angeles Mayor Fletcher Bowron. It has continued for nine mayoral administrations. Additional information including schedule changes and updates can be found at: www.OASCLA.org/RSVP.
“African Americans and Labor,” this year’s national theme “focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds – free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary – intersect with the collective experiences of Black people,” according to Association for the Study of African American Life and History, (ASALH) founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. OASCLA is the Los Angeles Branch.
In keeping with that theme, Yvonne Wheeler, president of the LA City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, will serve as the honorary chair of the LA celebration.
About Yvonne Wheeler
Yvonne Wheeler’s journey as a labor leader began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she experienced the civil rights movement firsthand, participating in protests for school desegregation rights in high school. Her career in labor activism took root in the telecommunications industry, where she confronted racial discrimination head-on. In 1992, while working at GTE (later Frontier Communications), she successfully challenged management’s discriminatory disciplining of African American operators, establishing herself as a fearless advocate for workers’ rights.
Wheeler broke barriers by becoming the first African American president of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9586 in 1999. Understanding the importance of representation, she actively mentored future African American labor leaders. Her commitment to connecting the African American community with the labor movement deepened through her leadership in the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), where she organized voter registration drives and job training programs.
For five years, she led the A. Philip Randolph-AFL-CIO African American Organizing Institute, focusing on recruiting and training African Americans for leadership positions in the labor movement. Her dedication to labor rights and racial equality led to significant roles with major unions, including the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and AFGE.
Making history again, Wheeler now serves as the first Black woman President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, continuing her lifelong mission of advancing both workers’ rights and racial justice through organized labor.
Events are planned through the end of April 2025. Download a copy of the 2025 DCA Cultural Guide from the home page of OASC at www.oascla.org
Some dates may have changed due to the wildfires. Check online at www.oascla.org/events for updates.
For more information, visit https://oascla.org. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
Media Contact
Lura Ball
[email protected]
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SOURCE: Our Authors Study Club
file photo: Yvonne Wheeler, President LA County Federation of Labor