When Nannie Helen Burroughs established the National Association of Wage Earners in the early 20th century, Black women and girls were facing unchecked racism and sexism in the workplace. They were often relegated to low-paying jobs like sharecropping or domestic service, two occupations in which women suffered harassment, violence and even jail time for the smallest infractions, according to Danielle Phillips-Cunningham, author of Nannie Helen Burroughs: A Tower of Strength in the Labor World.

Saturday marked the start of Black History Month, the longstanding American tradition celebrating the contributions of Black Americans and the Black experience continues throughout February. The recognition of Black history began when scholar Carter G. Woodson started Negro History week in February 1926. The week evolved into Black History Month as it's currently recognized in the United States, according to Greg Carr, an associate professor in the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in a interview with USA Today.

Here is a quick sketch of an American Hero... Looking for a definition of courage, service, strength, vision, leadership and intelligence, I found it in the pages of history in the form of a woman born and dead long before these words were typed – Harriet Tubman. You should know her story, for legends that are real must be made room for in our own personal histories. I imagine her on the day in 1849, when Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and ran to freedom.... How fast she ran and even...

“Always maintaining pockets of joy”, is what Roya Marsh said to me as soon as I asked her how she was Roya Marsh has been a commanding voice in contemporary poetry, using her work to confront injustice, honor the complexities of identity, and illuminate the beauty and struggle of everyday life. With the release of savings time, Marsh delivers another powerful collection that blends urgency with intimacy, weaving together themes of Blackness, queerness, love, and survival. As a poet, educator, and activist, she challenges readers to engage deeply—not just with...

Rightfully, a host of tributes across America recognize the achievements of pioneering Black union leader A. Philip Randolph — his historic founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union, and pressing U.S. presidents to act against federal discrimination before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In 1989, a U.S. postage stamp marked the 100th anniversary of his birth; schools and streets bear his name, and then there’s the Pullman National Historical Park — a National Parks Service historic site. The nonprofit National A. Philip Randolph Pullman...

President Donald Trump’s continued assault on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives notably coincided with the start of Black History Month, which he commemorated in part by communicating in a way that cultural and language experts have suggested disrespects African Americans. While Trump referenced Black History Month with a capital B several times in a presidential proclamation issued Friday night, he also mentioned “black Americans” in multiple other instances by using a lowercase B. MORE: White House Demands Rep.

The Dallas Morning News is profiling Texans who are making an impact today and inspiring future generations. Nelson Mandela once said “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Ruth J. Simmons could be seen by many as a walking embodiment of that sentiment. From humble beginnings in East Texas to becoming the first African American president of an Ivy League university, Simmons' upbringing and life experiences illustrate a determination to overcome obstacles and the transforming power of education. “The most important thing about...

The seeds of Black History Month were sown more than 100 years ago in the South Side YMCA at 3763 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago. Carter G. Woodson, a University of Chicago alum, was staying in a room at the Colored YMCA, as it was designated, while manning a booth at the Exposition of Fifty Years of Negro Progress in the nearby Chicago Coliseum. It marked the 50th anniversary of the 13th Amendment ending slavery, and Woodson was selling posters celebrating Black heroes and books about Black history. He also hoped...

February marks the beginning of Black History Month, and it comes as The White House is dismantling Diversity Equity, and Inclusion efforts within the federal government. On Friday President Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Black History Month, but in the same breath his own Department of Defense declared, "Identity months dead at DoD. "They can keep that little money they keep their pocket change and then watch us show out and show up and create new ways of sharing what is important to our culture," said Brundidge. "For me, this...

Democratic lawmakers marked the beginning of Black History Month this February 1st with tributes to Black American achievements, while some also criticized President Donald Trump's recent opposition to DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment on Saturday. On Friday, Trump recognized that this February is National Black History Month, an annual tradition that presidents have done since 1976. This year's celebration comes amid the administration's efforts to end DEI initiatives in the federal government.