Sources & Closing Reflections
Sources
- Equal Justice Initiative – A History of Racial Injustice
- EJI Report on Convict Leasing & Sharecropping
- Joint Economic Committee – Economic State of Black America, 2020
- Congressional Black Caucus Press Release: Trump Undermining Civil Rights Enforcement (Feb 7, 2025)
- Wikipedia – Virginia Slave Codes of 1705
- U.S. EEOC – Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Jacobin – The Legacy of the Crushed 1981 PATCO Strike
- Economic Policy Institute – Worker Misclassification & the Gig Economy
- First Step Act (2018)
- U.S. Department of Labor – Overtime Rule History & Joint-Employer Rule Revisions
- Janus v. AFSCME (2018) & Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis (2018)
Closing Reflections
As we reach the end of this living archive, it’s clear that the story of Black labor in America is not a closed chapter, but a current that flows through every aspect of our economy and society. From the Casual Killing Act of 1669 to today’s gig-work algorithms, systems built to commodify Black bodies have been repeatedly rebranded—but their effects remain deep and lasting.
Yet beneath this legacy of exploitation beats an unbreakable tradition of resistance. From enslaved people drafting labor contracts under duress, to the air traffic controllers of PATCO, to fast-food workers demanding a $15 wage, Black workers have continually asserted their humanity. Frederick Douglass taught us, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” A. Philip Randolph reminded us, “Freedom is never given; it is won.” And Maya Angelou uplifted us with, “And still we rise.”
Today’s battles—over prison labor reform, misclassification of gig workers, and the right to organize—are the latest fronts in a centuries-long fight for dignity. Systems put in place by human hands can be dismantled by human hands. Progress demands bold collective action and unwavering solidarity. Black workers and their allies carry this torch forward, striving to align our labor system with justice and equality.
.png)
0 Comments