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Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Arlington County encourages residents to reflect on the importance of equity in our community and honor those who made the world we live in today possible.

CONNECT: Feel the Heritage Festival on Feb. 25

The Feel the Heritage Festival welcomes hundreds each year to learn about Arlington’s historically African American neighborhoods while enjoying live entertainment and delicious food. Join the celebration on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Charles Drew Community Center. Learn more about the event.

LEARN: Arlington’s Racial History Timelines

Arlington County’s Racial History Timelines document key historical events and are a critical component of our broader commitment to racial equity. Find them here.

WATCH: A Conversation with Artist Walter Hood

Revisit this interview with artist and landscape architect Walter Hood and what drew him to the John Robinson, Jr. Town Square project in the Green Valley neighborhood.

• Arlington Public Library is hosting numerous events in honor of Black History Month, including an Author Talk with Michael Twitty on Feb. 16. Find more information about this event and others throughout the month. Can’t make it to the event? Watch the livestream.
• Pick up a Black History Month-themed art to-go box inspired by artist Mildred Thompson between Feb. 13-17. Learn more.
• Have fun with a photo scavenger hunt at several landmarks around Arlington celebrating Black history with Black History Mystery, which runs through Feb. 28.
• Read the County Board's 2023 Black History Month Proclamation.
• The County has several resources and initiatives to help focus our efforts in advancing racial equity, including a one-pager to start conversations on race, toolkits to facilitate Dialogues on Race and Equity between community members, and more.
• The Race and Ethnicity and Census Tract Demographic dashboards provide snapshots of Arlington’s diverse population and help establish a baseline to measure racial equity across the County.
• Be part of Arlington’s broader commitment to racial equity by becoming a Dialogues on Race and Equity (DRE) Partner. Learn more and register here.
• ICYMI: Watch Arlington’s 2023 tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Find more events, resources and programming at Arlington’s Black History Month page.

Join a Discussion on Fair Housing in Arlington

The NAACP Arlington Branch will host a panel discussion on Feb. 23 about the newly released Regional Fair Housing Plan, which contains comprehensive data about segregation in our community, disparate access to quality education and healthy neighborhoods, and goals to address these disparities and other issues. Register here.

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