Since 1928, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH ®) has announced the Black History Month theme. Since the mid-1970s, every American president, has issued proclamations endorsing the Association’s annual theme. This year’s Black History Month theme is “Black Resistance”.
ASALH ® was founded in 1915, was the vision of historian, author, and publisher, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as “The Father of Black History”. As early as 1920, Woodson urged black civic organizations to promote the achievements that researchers were uncovering. A graduate member of Omega Psi Phi, he urged his fraternity brothers to take up the work. In 1924, they responded with the creation of Negro History and Literature Week, which they renamed Negro Achievement Week. Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week in 1926. Fifty years later, the week was expanded to include the entire month of February, known as Black History Month in 1976.
The mission of ASALH ® is to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.
African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States political jurisdiction. The 1950s through 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing. Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideas of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics. Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success.
The Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch (Central Florida) of ASALH ® will honor Black History Month by collaborating with the NAACP, League of Women Voters Orange County, American Legion Post 331, and the 3 Central Florida Chapters of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
“The Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch (Central Florida) of ASALH is excited about the many Black History Month events in the Orlando area. We hope these events will raise awareness, celebrate our culture, and inspire involvement in our community for a positive change.” stated Manuel Jones, President, Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch of ASALH.
For more information regarding ASALH ® or the Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch, visit asalhdtj.org or call 407-455-4067.
