We Are Still Running to the Fight!

We Are Still Running to the Fight! The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) celebrates African Americans and Labor during its annual Black History Month Luncheon

WASHINGTON, DC — The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is proud to announce the Annual Black History theme for 2025 is African Americans and Labor. The 2025 Black History Month 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. Indeed, work is at the very center of much of Black history and culture.

This year’s annual Black History Luncheon will explore this theme with vibrant and engaging programming, including a chance to call together Black leaders from across the country to gather at this critical hour—in a national Black “Town Hall” style gathering—as the very existence of Black History Month is under threat.

ASALH will celebrate our annual in-person Black History Month Luncheon, which will take place Saturday, February 22nd 2025 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST at the Westin Washington, DC Downtown (formerly The Renaissance). Our history of labor has always provided ways for African Americans to make commentary on troubling times, and 2025 is no exception.

ASALH has never shied away from controversial issues and while we still unapologetically celebrate Black History Month, we also recognize that we must pause this year to reflect in deep conversation with some of the best thinkers and leaders who are best positioned to lead a “National Black Town Hall.” We are “still running to the fight” and this year’s line-up of speakers will not disappoint. They include Greg Carr, Ebony McMoris, Mary Frances Berry, Marc Morial, Christine Sampson-Clark, and Ebony McMorris.

Greg Carr is the Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University, where he is also an Associate Professor. A renowned scholar, he specializes in African American history, culture, and Afrocentric thought, making significant contributions to the field through his teaching and research. In addition to his academic work, Carr serves as a co-editor of the African World History Project, a multi-volume initiative dedicated to documenting and preserving the global history of African peoples.

Ebony McMorris is an award-winning journalist based in Washington, D.C., serving as the White House Correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, where she covers press briefings and key national events. She is also the host of Viewpoints Explained, a program that explores current issues with expert guests.

Mary Frances Berry is a prominent historian, lawyer, and civil rights activist. She serves as the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and a professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania. Berry has held leadership roles, including Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and has been a passionate advocate for social justice throughout her career. Her scholarship on civil rights and equality has earned her numerous accolades, continuing to inspire efforts toward social change and justice in America.

Marc H. Morial has served as the President and CEO of the National Urban League since 2003, where he leads initiatives focused on economic empowerment, education, and social justice. Before this role, he was the mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002. Morial’s leadership has contributed to significant progress in closing economic disparities and advocating for policies that uplift underserved communities across the U.S. He is a recognized advocate for racial equity and urban revitalization.

Christine Sampson-Clark is a passionate educator and union advocate who has worked to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students. She holds a Master of Education in Special Education from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University. Sampson-Clark is an active member of the National Education Association (NEA), as well as the NAACP and the New Jersey Association of Black Educators.

An important part of the luncheon this year is our Author’s Book Signing, a free event which will take place at 10:00 a.m. EST, featuring selected authors sharing books on African American history and culture. The full list of authors may be found here. Directly following the Author’s Book Signing, will be the luncheon itself, which is a ticketed event. Tickets start at $200 Tickets and can be purchased at www.asalh.org.

As our newly-elected President Kaye Wise Whitehead has stated, “Our theme in 2023 when we met in Jacksonville, FL was ‘running to the fight.’ With the implementation of Project 2025 and the possible rollout of some of the policies that Gov. DeSantis was pushing nationally (including the anti-woke messaging, banning of books, and the outlawing of the teaching of “history that makes people uncomfortable”) we are ‘still running to the fight.’ We cannot stop now. So I hope you will all continue to contribute to the success of this great cause. The challenges are numerous, but the opportunity from a historical perspective is the potential to be in the discussion and sometimes opposition to these policies and with our work, messaging, and long standing experience in the promotion of Black History (through the vision of our founder), to take an even greater role in the national dialogue. This year’s theme is “African Americans and Labor” and we will celebrate that in February this year with our Black History Month Festival.”

Join us throughout the month of February as we examine the varied history and life of African American labor at our annual Black History Month Luncheon. Get your tickets at asalh.org.