ASALH/Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch to Host
Black History Month Breakfast
ORLANDO—The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch, will kick off Black History Month with breakfast on February 1, 2025, at Shiloh Baptist Church. The church is at 604 West Jackson Street, Orlando, Florida, and the event will begin at 9:30 a.m. The 2025 Black History Month theme is African Americans and Labor. It recognizes the significant contributions of the labor of Black people in shaping America.
The morning speaker, Attorney Edward W. Wimp, will address the theme. Born and raised in Chicago, Wimp is a graduate of FAMU Law College of Law.
He began his legal career at a statewide civil trial defense firm, where he defended insurance companies in injury disputes. He further honed his expertise at one of the largest law firms in the United States. He was recognized by both the National Law Journal and Forbes for defending claims related to First Party Property and General Liability. He transitioned to representing clients who have faced wrongful termination, discrimination, unpaid wages, medical leave issues, and whistleblower cases at a prominent Plaintiff’s firm in Florida and Georgia. His commitment to justice has resulted in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients. Wimp is deeply committed to community service. He volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem, advocating for children in need, and serves as a Legal Observer to uphold the rights of demonstrators during peaceful protests. He also provides legal services to creatives through Lawyers for the Creative Arts. He actively contributes to various organizations. Locally, he serves on the board of Opera Orlando and the Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida.
In addition to the breakfast, the Winter Park Library will host an African Americans and Labor panel discussion Sunday, February 2, 2025 (2:00-4:00 in the Edyth Bush Theatre). Panelists for the event will be Charles Whitehead, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); Phyllis Hancock, founder of the A. Philip Randolph Institute CFL, Inc.; and John Tyler, president of the Communication Workers of America (CWA). The three will discuss the various and profound ways that free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, and vocational and voluntary work intersect with the collective experiences of Black people. ASALH/DTJ Vice-President Dr. Rebekah McCloud will serve as the panel moderator.
There are still several opportunities for breakfast sponsorship (Platinum–$1,000, Gold–$500, Silver–$250, Table–$180). Individual tickets for the event are $30. Make checks payable to: “ASALH Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch” and mail to the following address:
ASALH Central FL – DTJ Branch
300 N. New York Ave., POB 1496
Winter Park, FL 32790-1496
You may also Zelle your sponsorship to 407-455-4067. Please include your name/organization name and email in the Zelle message for follow-up upon receipt. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at 407-455-4067 or majjones01@bellsouth.net. Visit our website ASALH Central Florida – Dorothy Turner Johnson Branch (asalhdtj.org).
