Celebrating Black History Month in Lexington, MA

Black History Month is a time to reflect, learn, and honor the people whose lives and legacies have shaped our community and our nation. In Lexington, that history is deeply rooted, from the Revolutionary era to the present day, and February offers meaningful opportunities to engage with these stories.

Douglass Day 2026: A National Day of Action in Lexington

On Friday, February 13, Lexington will join communities across the country in celebrating Douglass Day, a national day of action dedicated to making Black history more accessible through hands-on research and collaboration.

Organized locally for Black History Month in partnership with DouglassDay.org, this event is one of about 100 taking place nationwide, with thousands of participants working together to transcribe historical documents. This year’s focus is on the Colored Conventions Project from the University of Delaware, which documents the state and national conventions where Black abolitionists and leaders organized for civil and legal rights from the 1830s through Reconstruction.

The event will include a brief transcription tutorial, viewing of the national Douglass Day broadcast, guided transcription sessions, and short presentations by local historians on the Colored Conventions, Frederick Douglass’ visit to Lexington, and Black women honored on the Women’s Monument. A birthday cake will also mark Frederick Douglass’ chosen birthday of February 14.

Learn more and register for the event here.

Film Screening & Q&A: Black Patriots of Lexington – The Adam Tidd Story

To mark Black History Month, the Association of Black Citizens of Lexington (ABCL) and Tricons 2 Red Tails are partnering with the Lexington History Museums to host a special screening and conversation at The Depot on Tuesday, February 17.

The evening will feature the Adam Tidd episode of Black Patriots of Lexington, followed by a Q&A discussion.

In this episode, historian William Poole brings to life the remarkable story of Adam Tidd, who began his life enslaved to Lt. William Tidd of Captain Parker’s Company. Adam Tidd went on to serve as a soldier in the Continental Army and later became the father of a renowned Boston musician. His journey reflects both the contradictions and the courage embedded in America’s founding—and highlights the often-overlooked role of Black Patriots in the fight for independence.

This program offers an opportunity to learn, reflect, and engage in conversation about Lexington’s Black history and its continued relevance today. Doors for the event will open at 6:30 pm, with programming beginning at 7:00 pm.

Learn more and register for the event here.

Black History Project of Lexington Portrait Banners

The Black History Project of Lexington portrait banners were installed ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. This powerful expression of Black history in our community can be seen throughout downtown this month.

Twenty-two banners are currently on display, part of a larger collection of 29 portrait banners honoring Black Lexingtonians from the colonial period through the 21st century. Together, they tell a broad and compelling story of service, leadership, creativity, and perseverance.

The banners feature:

• Veterans who called Lexington home, including:
  Silas Burdoo (Revolutionary War),
  John Henry Brown (Civil War), and
  William Ridgley, Sr. (Korean War)

• Local trailblazers such as:
  Leona Martin, elected to the Lexington Housing Authority, and
  Sherry Lynn Gordon Townes, elected to the Lexington School Committee

• National figures who visited Lexington, including:
  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Shirley Chisholm

Displayed right in Lexington Center, these portraits invite us to pause, learn, and recognize the many ways Black individuals have shaped Lexington’s past and present.

Whether you attend one of the upcoming events or learn more about the downtown banners, this Black History Month invites us to deepen our understanding of the people and stories that define our community’s past and present.