Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the creators of Black History Month, holds a high-level luncheon to deliberate on the organization’s annual theme, and this year “African Americans and Labor,” offered a powerful conversation on Black laborers’ contributions to the nation and world. In addition, amid the Trump administration’s elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, the speakers at the Feb. 22 event at The Westin in Northwest D.C. offered a call to action for guests to work toward justice. Holding over 400 guests, the hotel ballroom was filled with Washington thought leaders, changemakers, people representing organizations like historically Black sororities and fraternities, and politicians such as former D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt.
Mary Frances Berry speaks at the ASALH luncheon at The Westin Northwest D.C. on Feb. 22. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)Each speaker discussed the theme of African Americans and Labor, with an added emphasis of pushing back against regressive federal efforts that could be detrimental to African Americans.
“We must fight what this administration is trying to do,” said Mary Frances Berry, Geraldine R. Segal professor of American Social Thought at University of Pennsylvania. “There are some people who say that we must rely on the courts for redress. There are even some who say we should wait two more years for the elections. But I say that two years is too long, and we must fight now.”The Program: Powerful Speeches, Celebrating a Life, Stamp Reveal, Big AnnouncementBefore the luncheon, Berry presented a talk about her new book, “Slavery After Slavery.” The book goes into detail about the racist and inhumane practices Black people had to endure after slavery ended that resulted in low wages, peonage, and apprenticeships in which newly enslaved children were re-enslaved by their masters with the blessing and support of the post-Reconstruction court system primarily in the South.After Berry, 87, ended her speech, it was noted by ASALH staffers that copies of Berry’s book had sold out, causing the audience to roar with applause.
Karen Cook-Bell, who chairs the Book Prize Committee, announced that Kali Nicole Gross’s book “Vengeance Feminism: The Power of Black Women’s Fury in Lawless Times” won the 2025 Book Prize. Cook-Bell said 100 eligible books entered the competition and nine were determined to be finalists.Sylvia Y. Cyrus, the executive director of ASALH, held a short memorial ceremony commemorating the life of Myles A. Gresham, a 22-year-old North Carolina Central University student who lived in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and was killed days before his graduation in April 2024. Gresham’s mother, Cheryl Gresham, works for ASALH and noted her son would volunteer at past luncheons.“He gave us 22 beautiful years,” Gresham said. “He was an incredible young man.”Lonnie G. Bunch III, who works as the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, said that ASALH was a special organization in his life.“This was the first organization to embrace me,” Bunch said. “This organization is a reservoir of history and hope.”
Bunch chastised people who wish to ignore Black history, saying “you can run but you cannot hide” the truth.Another highlight of the program was the presentation of the Black History Month stamp. The stamp had the likeness of the late Allen Toussaint, a noted musician and songwriter.In her closing remarks, Cyrus emphasized that ASALH will continue its mission of educating people, especially children and teenagers, about Black history, as started by Carter G. Woodson, to another level soon.“ASALH will be starting freedom schools,” Cyrus said. “We will be starting freedom schools through our branches.”Keynote Discussion: ‘This Moment We are Being Challenged’The keynote panel, moderated by Howard University Associate Professor Greg Carr, featured Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and Christine Sampson-Clark, executive committee member of the National Education Association.
Morial, 67, pointed out that the NAACP, as well as his organization and historically Black fraternities and sororities — known as the Divine Nine — were founded in the early part of the 20th century in Northern states.“These organizations were founded after Plessy [vs. Ferguson],” he said, speaking of the 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing segregation. “They responded by organizing.”Morial said African Americans are under attack by the new presidential administration and the forces that support it.“This moment we are being challenged,” he said. “War has been declared on us. There is a war on every progress we have made.”Morial advised Black people who have been laid off or fired by the Trump administration to respond.
“People should appeal their terminations,” he said. “We cannot let a four-letter word that starts with ‘f’ hold us back. That four-letter word is fear. The worst thing we can do is to sit back and do nothing.” ASALH President Sylvia Y. Cyrus presents a special presentation to the Gresham family after their son Myles A. Gresham, a volunteer with the organization, was killed in April 2024, just weeks before graduating from North Carolina Central University. (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)He said the National Urban League will respond by filing a lawsuit against Trump’s moves against DEI shortly.Sampson-Clark said that educators can play a key role in building and holding the community together in tough times.“Many people see educators as a trusted source,” she said. “Educators don’t have a problem teaching the truth.”Sampson-Clark said African Americans “must be intentional on our role as educators and parents.” Further, she urged members of the audience to get more politically involved.“I would encourage people to run for political office,” she said. “Run for the city council, run for the school board. Programs are under attack, and we need to fight back.”
Source: Washington Informer
