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Arlington County Board proclaims February 2026 Black History Month
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Summary
An Arlington County Board member read and signed a proclamation declaring February 2026 as Black History Month, noting the observance began in 1926 and that U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations since 1976.
An Arlington County Board member read and signed a proclamation declaring February 2026 as Black History Month, urging residents and county employees to observe the month and recognize the contributions of Black Americans to the nation and to Arlington County.
The proclamation, read aloud by Speaker 1 (identified in the transcript only as Speaker 1), recounts that the celebration of Black Americans’ contributions began in 1926 with Negro History Week and that presidents of the United States have designated February as Black History Month each year since 1976. Speaker 1 said the County Board is "committed to celebrating and spotlighting this rich history," and concluded the reading by formally proclaiming February 2026 as Black History Month.
Speaker 1 opened the remarks by thanking the audience for applause for award recipients and by reflecting on the need for joy in difficult times: "joy does come in the morning," the speaker said, adding, "I'm betting on joy at the end of this year." The speaker also recommended attendees read Langston Hughes' poem "Let America Be America Again."
The proclamation text, as read in the meeting, calls on "the residents and employees of the county to observe this occasion by recognizing the contributions of Black Americans to our society in general and to Arlington County in particular." The reading ends with the speaker saying the proclamation was "signed by me." The transcript records no formal roll-call vote or motion maker and seconder for this proclamation in the excerpt provided.
The reading situates the county action within broader observances: it mentions the 1926 origin of the observance and the presidential proclamations dating from 1976, and it notes that 2026 also marks the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, framing the proclamation as part of an effort to tell "not only an inclusive history, but an accurate" one.
No subsequent formal actions, directives to staff, or votes related to implementing programs or spending were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The immediate next procedural moment in the transcript is a brief closing remark of thanks from the same speaker.
The County Board’s proclamation is ceremonial in nature and asks residents and employees to observe Black History Month; the transcript does not record follow-up implementation steps, budget items, or a recorded vote.
