Don’t Stop Me Now

“Don’t stop me now, ‘Cause I’m havin’ a good time…” If you just sang that in your head, you’re not alone. Queen’s iconic hit is an anthem of unstoppable momentum — fitting for the Kansas City Chiefs as they charge into the Super Bowl on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. If they win, it will mark their third consecutive Super Bowl win — an achievement no NFL team has ever accomplished. Meanwhile, the Eagles are back for their fifth Super Bowl appearance, hungry for redemption after falling to the Chiefs in a nail-biting 38-35 loss in 2023.

But the spirit of Don’t Stop Me Now isn’t just about football. It’s about pushing forward in every aspect of life — whether it’s keeping up with your workout streak, tackling that growing reading list, or sticking to those healthy habits. Momentum matters. And here at The Download, we’re keeping our streak going by celebrating Black History Month again this year — something that, unfortunately, not everyone is continuing.

While some federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, have decided to stop observing Black History Month — as well as other cultural heritage months like Women’s History Month, LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month — many organizations are still committed to honoring these observances. The Library of Congress, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, as well as countless businesses, educational institutions and community organizations across the country continue to recognize and celebrate the rich history of Black Americans.

The Roots of Black History Month
Black History Month didn’t just appear overnight. Its origins date back to the 1890s with Douglass Day, an observance on February 14 honoring abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass, who chose that day to celebrate his birthday. Then in 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week, deliberately placing it in February to coincide with Douglass’s birthday and that of President Abraham Lincoln.

Decades later, Black History Month gained national recognition when President Gerald Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans.” Congress officially designated February as National Black History Month in 1986, cementing its place in the national calendar.

This Year’s Theme: African Americans and Labor
Work has always been at the heart of the Black experience in America — whether forced or free, skilled or unskilled, vocational or voluntary. This year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and Labor, highlights the profound ways Black workers have shaped history, culture, and the ongoing fight for equality.

For generations, civil rights and labor rights have  been deeply connected. Leaders like A. Philip Randolph and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. championed unions as a path to economic empowerment and social justice. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first Black-led union to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor. Founded by Randolph, the union fought for better wages and working conditions for Black railway workers, setting a powerful precedent for labor activism.

Randolph and Dr. King later joined forces to organize the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where more than 200,000 people gathered to demand civil rights and an end to workplace discrimination. Dr. King saw unions as essential to lifting workers — especially Black workers — out of poverty. In 1965, he told the Illinois AFL-CIO:

“The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress… new wage levels meant not mere survival but a tolerable life.”

History Is Still in the Making
Black history isn’t just something in textbooks — it’s being written every day. The fight for justice and equality continues, and while racism may look different than it did decades ago, its effects on health, economic opportunity, and quality of life remain very real. Black History Month is more than a celebration — it’s a reminder that the work isn’t done.

So, as we cheer on our favorite football team and hum along to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now, let’s channel that same unstoppable energy into building a future where equality isn’t just history — it’s reality.

Enjoy the weekend!

Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]

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