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Hagerstown mayor proclaims February Black History Month, local pastors and councilmembers welcome recognition
Summary
Mayor William McIntyre read a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month and invited local faith and community leaders; pastors and council members used the ceremonial time to highlight local Black history and elected leaders.
Mayor William McIntyre read a proclamation at the Feb. 4 Hagerstown work session recognizing February as Black History Month and urging citizens to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities.
Todd Smith (introduced by the mayor as a community leader) and Pastor Lehi McIntosh of Impact Ministries accepted the proclamation on behalf of local congregations and organizations. Pastor McIntosh thanked the mayor and council and linked the recognition to local milestones: “We have three women who have made our very own black history in the city of Hagerstown by being elected to city council,” he said, and he urged continued community engagement and remembrance.
Council members used the ceremonial time to highlight local Black history. Councilwoman Burnett described her grandmother, Thelma “Nan” Bonke Burnett, and the role her confectionery on Jonathan Street played as a longtime neighborhood gathering place. Councilwoman Caroline Anderson and others welcomed newly opened downtown businesses while thanking civic groups for attending the ceremony.
The proclamation text referenced the national observance of Black History Month and the 2025 national theme, “African Americans and Labor,” but the city document itself is a local ceremonial recognition; no policy action followed from the proclamation.
