February Will Always Be Black History Month
- Tyneeta Canonge
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 8
I had mixed feelings when the government made Juneteenth a National Holiday in 2021. Mother Opal Lee worked for decades to make it a national holiday and I respect her hard work. As someone from the South who spent two decades in Texas, I knew that Black people were going to celebrate the day enslaved people in Galveston were informed about emancipation no matter what. I also believed that federalizing the day would commodify it and dilute a memorial that Southern Blacks held close to our hearts.
Similarly, Black History Month doesn’t need the government’s permission to exist. It continues because we insist on telling our stories. This February, as institutions oscillate between recognition and restriction, I hold fast to Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s words: “We do not celebrate because we are given permission, we celebrate because we are the permission givers.” Our history is undeniable, our labor is invaluable, and our impact is immeasurable.
2025 Theme: African Americans and Labor
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has declared the 2025 theme as African Americans and Labor. This theme highlights how Black people have contributed to the U.S. economy through free labor, skilled and unskilled work, and paid contributions. From enslaved people who built the White House to today’s entrepreneurs and labor organizers, Black workers have been the backbone of this nation. Despite our contributions, our labor is often devalued. Whether through wage disparities, the exploitation of Black women in caregiving roles, or the systemic barriers keeping us from wealth accumulation, the fight for economic justice is ongoing. This theme is a call to recognize, uplift, and protect Black laborers across all industries.
A New Orleans Labor Leader: Dorothy Mae Taylor
Y’all know I always represent my city and New Orleans has no shortage of leaders who embody this year’s theme. Dorothy Mae Taylor stands out. Known as the "Iron Lady of Louisiana Politics," Taylor was the first Black woman elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and later served on the New Orleans City Council. She was a fierce advocate for workers' rights, education, and racial equity. One of her most notable acts was leading the charge to desegregate New Orleans’ Mardi Gras krewes, a move that forced the city's elite to reckon with their exclusionary traditions. Taylor’s work wasn’t just about employment—it was about dismantling the systems that devalued Black people in all areas of public life. Her work lives on in today’s fights for fair wages, anti-discrimination laws, and workplace protections.
Recent years have seen an intensified push and pull—state governments passing laws that restrict teaching Black history while simultaneously making performative gestures of acknowledgment. The message is clear: Black history is valuable as long as it doesn’t challenge power. But the 2025 theme for Black History Month reminds us that our labor—both literal and metaphorical—has built this country and continues to shape it.
Want to learn more about Black History in New Orleans? Apply to the Level Up Leadership Lab New Orleans. We will go deep into the city's prominent Black leaders and everyday change makers. The days you spend with me in New Orleans will be life changing. Here's what a member of the first cohort had to say about the experience.
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