Black History Month Events in Massachusetts: Week 3

February 17th

Massachusetts Historical Society: Waves of Biracial Cooperation & Discrimination at the Port of Orleans, 1962-1982

5-6:15pm, virtual online event

“Waves of Biracial Cooperation and Discrimination” problematizes the conventional southern labor narrative which suggests that black union leaders sought integration as a means of obtaining fair employment practices. Along the Port of Orleans, the segregated tradition of black and white longshoremen dated back almost a century and defined the terms of workplace democracy at the waterfront. From 1962-1965, the all-black Local 1419 and all-white Local 1418 of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) collaborated in four strikes to acquire increased wages and better fringe benefits. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act brought an end to decades of biracial cooperation as both black and white longshoremen resisted the notion of integration. Title VII prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. The law also prohibits segregated union locals. The 1964 Civil Rights Act presented both opportunities and challenges for Local 1419, which struggled for better jobs but were steadfast in their attempts to stay ‘separate but empowered.’ This chapter chronicles both the militancy of the biracial alliance at the New Orleans waterfront as well as the extensive legal struggles that followed the longshoremen’s resistance to desegregation amid filing discrimination complaints.

February 18th

Cirque Kalabante

7-8:30pm at 2 Southbridge St., Worcester

Afrique en Cirque is a show by Yamoussa Bangoura, inspired by daily life in Guinea. This performance shares the beauty, youth and artistry of African culture. A colorful show beyond its scenery, costumes and staging, it makes any theatre vibrate with energy and represents the strength, agility and life’s joys of young Africans. The audience will see acrobats execute gravity-defying moves and human pyramids, accompanied by the contemporary sounds of live Afro-Jazz, percussion, and kora. Welcome to the universe of Kalabanté Productions, and prepare for an unforgettable journey.

February 19th

Edmonia Lewis: Said in Stone

Available 10am-5pm at the Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St, Salem (recurring during opening hours through June)

Explore the first retrospective of acclaimed 19th-century Black and Indigenous sculptor Edmonia Lewis. Born in Greenbush, New York in 1844, Lewis became the first sculptor of Black and Indigenous (Mississauga) descent to achieve international recognition. Beginning her career in Boston in 1863, she traveled to Rome in 1866 to join the leading American sculptors of her generation, breaking international, racial and gender barriers. “Sometimes the times were dark and the outlook was lonesome, but where there is a will, there is a way,” Lewis recalled in 1878. “That is what I tell my people whenever I meet them, that they must not be discouraged, but work ahead until the world is bound to respect them for what they have accomplished.”

February 21st

Afro Caribbean Black History Gala & Awards

6pm-11pm at 55 Hallet Street, Boston

The Afro Caribbean Black History Gala & Awards is a celebration of Massachusetts Caribbean American community on Saturday, February 21, 2026 in Boston, MA. The gala evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. followed by a program at 7:00 pm with the Caribbean Diaspora members and friends of the Caribbean. The Gala & Awards reception is the highlight of our calendar of events. The gala awards provide recognition to our Caribbean American people in the State of Massachusetts who have contributed to the development of the Caribbean diaspora community which includes our Caribbean youths.

North Shore Concert Band Presents: Black History Month Concert

7pm at 50 Washington St, Salem

As part of Salem’s celebration of Black History Month the group will feature music composed or performed by such jazz greats as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Lester Young, Miles Davis and the North Shore Concert Band’s own jazz trombonist, composer and arranger, Clifford Weeks. We are especially excited to present Cliff’s beautiful arrangements of classics from the Great American Songbook. Come enjoy some great music in a wonderful space that is the Tabernacle Church in beautiful downtown Salem.

February 23rd

Black History Month Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon

4-5:30pm at 1497 Tremont St in Roxbury MA

Wikipedia is the most visited site on the Internet, as well as an open and free source of knowledge driven by a community of editors from all over the world! Join us for an event to create and edit Wikipedia articles about important activists, events, and community members who deserve to be highlighted on the world wide web. Learning how to edit Wikipedia can strengthen public writing skills while also making sure Wikipedia reflects the world around us. We will provide tutorials for beginner Wikipedians and reference materials.

February 24th

Black History Month TRIVIA NIGHT at Dave & Busters!

7:30-9:30pm at 1235 Worcester Street #Ste 3201, Natick

Black History Month Trivia Night – Join us for a fun night celebrating the history, culture, achievements, and influence of Black leaders, innovators, artists, athletes, and icons who shaped history and continue to inspire the world. This special Black History Month Trivia event blends education with entertainment, featuring questions that highlight trailblazers from the past and present — from civil rights and music to film, sports, literature, and pop culture. Play an interactive trivia game, with a competitive mix of questions, including image round and music round. Hosted live by a super fun Game Host, with competitive trivia format. Use your phone to play along, submit answers and get points. Check out the Leaderboard throughout the game to see how you rank. Prize for the lucky winners!

February 25th

Author Talk: Hubert Harrison – Forbidden Genius of Black Radicalism

6:30-8pm at 1463 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester

In Hubert Harrison, Brian Kwoba presents a historical restoration of Harrison’s numerous intellectual and political breakthroughs, offering a fresh interpretation of his contributions to social movements for economic, racial, and sexual liberation. Kwoba’s richly textured narrative highlights the startling and continued relevance of Harrison’s visionary thinking across generations. Brian Kwoba will be in conversation with educator, Abdi Ali.

February 26th

Finding Acceptance as LGBTQIA2S+ in the Black Church

6-7:45pm at 2300 Washington St, Boston

Finding Acceptance as LGBTQIA2S+ in the Black Church is a Black History Month community conversation event hosted by the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at the Bolling Building in Roxbury. This in-person event brings together affirming Black pastors and community partners to explore the intersection of Black identity, queerness, and spirituality, uplifting inclusive faith spaces and fostering connection and belonging within Boston’s Black LGBTQIA2S+ community.

Black Women at the Center of Revolution

7-8pm at 185 Salisbury St., Worcester

As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, AAS brings together a panel of distinguished Black women scholars to reconsider how the nation defines “revolution” and whose struggles are recognized as revolutionary. Moderated by AAS Council member Deborah Hall, the panelists will examine how Black women have demanded freedom through social, political, and legal activism over the past 250 years, from early petitions and collective resistance to organized movements for justice and liberation.

February 27th

Opening Doors Presents: Black History Month Concert

7-8:30pm at 221 Concord Avenue, Belmont

An evening of poetry, music, and conversation with Regie Gibson and Reggie Harris presented by The Opening Doors Project. In honor of Black History Month, and in collaboration with the Club Passim Folk Collective and Belmont Against Racism, Opening Doors presents a free evening of poetry, music, and conversation with Reggie Harris and Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson.

February 28th

Mtali Banda Live in Concert

Doors at 6pm, show starts at 7pm at 114 Race Street, Holyoke

An inspiring evening of live music and cultural celebration featuring Mtali Banda and his band. The performance will take place at De La Luz Soundstage in Holyoke, closing out Black History Month with a soulful showcase of Black creativity, storytelling, and community connection. This event aims to celebrate the cultural legacy of Black music while also engaging the local community in a shared space of joy, identity, and reflection. By highlighting an artist with deep regional ties and universal messages, the event fosters cultural appreciation, encourages intergenerational dialogue, and strengthens Holyoke’s growing creative scene