Black History Month Events – Williamsburg, Yorktown, Newport News and Hampton Roads – February 2026
Celebrate Black History Month in the Historic Triangle and Hampton Roads by visiting the following events
Events are across Hampton Roads including Williamsburg, James City County, Yorktown, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach!
2026 Black Artist Showcase at Jamestown Settlement
The 2026 Black Artist Showcase at Jamestown Settlement is connecting the past and present through contemporary art and 17th-century history. The showcase will be open February 1 – March 29 from 8 am-5 pm.
Black History Month programs at Jamestown Settlement culminates on Saturday, February 21 with “After Angelo,” named for one of the first African women in Jamestown, celebrating modern African American life and culture through art, performance and community conversation. See the schedule of events and activities HERE.
Be sure to check out the immersive gallery exhibits, films and education programs at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown on the cultural legacies of West Central Africans brought to Virginia in the 17th century. More info
Black History Month Programs at the Williamsburg Regional Library
Cultural Heritage Series, takes place Sundays in February at 3 pm in the Williamsburg Library Theater.
February 1: The Terry Burrell Jazz Trio
February 8: All4Christ featuring Saxophonist Coretha Holland
February 15: Give Them Flowers!! Mrs. Iris Jimmerson & Mrs. Mildred Walker – Two Music Sheroes
February 22: The Historic First Baptist Church Concert Choir
More information on each of the Cultural Heritage Series.
Programming for Black History Month at Colonial Williamsburg
More than half of 18th-century Williamsburg residents were African American. Join Colonial Williamsburg in February for Black History Month as they shine an even brighter light on our year-round African American programming and discover the untold stories of those who lived, loved, and strove to create a better future. Most of the programming can be accessed with your day pass, annual membership or Good Neighbor Pass. The Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg is offering free admission.
Live Programming at the Hennage Auditorium in Colonial Williamsburg
There are many programs at the Hennage Auditorium this month celebrating Black History Month. Discover these American stories of resilience and explore the lives of those that lived, loved, and strove to create a better future. Performances include Judith and Daniel, Freedom’s Paradox, Becoming History, Stitching the Past Together, A Taste of Freedom, and Visit with James Lafayette. Learn more on Colonial Williamsburg’s Black History Month page.
Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg
Admission to the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg is now FREE! They will have special programming in February related to the “I Made This” exhibition and Black History Month and include the following:
“Behind the Scenes: Stitching the Past Together” Tuesday, February 3, 17 & 24 at 4 p.m. How do we tell the stories of people from the past when their own words don’t survive to speak for them? Peek behind the curtain to explore how a variety of sources and archives can be stitched together to share the histories of freedom-seeking women absconding from slavery.
“Hands-On: Carrying the Past Together“ each Tuesday in February at 3 p.m. Learn about Sarah, a women who self-liberated from enslavement, through the items she carried when she sought freedom again and again. Participate in a discussion about the difficult choices she made. What did it mean to seek freedom from enslavement?
“Quilting Workshop” each Friday in February at 11 a.m. Discover the story of quilter Elizabeth Morris Bolden, then enjoy a mini-quilt project.There is a $5 fee for this tour.
“Works by Black Artists and Artisans” each Tuesday in February at 3 p.m. that will look at objects in “I made this…” as well as works on view in other galleries. This tour is free.
“Becoming History” Mondays & Wednesdays in February (not on Monday 23) at 2 p.m. A special behind-the-scenes look at how Colonial Williamsburg brings the voices of the past to life using historical research.
“Judith and Daniel” Tuesdays & Fridays at 2 p.m. (not on Tuesday 10) Judith and Daniel, an enslaved couple, anxiously await their reunion after a year apart. Learn the tragic story of their separation and why this happy reunion of husband and wife may not be permanent.
“Special Event: The African American Heritage Trail” Thursday, February 26 at 6 p.m. Storyteller Sheila Arnold shares the struggles and triumphs of the real-life African Americans who made history in the Lower Norfolk area (now Chesapeake) in a program that spans from the 1500s to the early 1900s.
The Art Museums will also offer a self-guided tour highlighting objects by Black artists on view in other galleries throughout the museum. This self-guided tour, which features some newly acquired objects, will show visitors that these works of art and their makers are important pieces of the American story.
Tour the museum galleries, including the “I Made This” exhibition, to explore decorative and folk art made by Black American artists and artisans. More information on this exhibit.
Tour: Road To Freedom at Fort Monroe – Every Friday in February from 11 am – 1 pm. Join guides at Freedom’s Fortress to experience history where it happened. Guests will walk in the steps of those whose actions resulted in the 1861 contraband decision, and hear how freedom seekers, despite peril to themselves and families, began the nation’s movement towards emancipation. Hear about the many roadblocks and obstacles they faced along the path, and how their courage and resiliency gave hope to so many others on the Road to Freedom. No registration required. For more information email rhonchul@fortmonroe.org or call 757-690-8181.
Virginia Peninsula Community College presents, The Homage Exhibit, a traveling collection celebrating African American history and culture. The exhibit features more than 650 rare items from the era of slavery to the election of Barack Obama. This event is free and open to the public on Tuesday, February 17 from 11am – 4 pm at the Historic Triangle Campus in Williamsburg and Thursday, February 19 from 11 am – 4 pm at the library in Kecoughtan Hall in Hampton. Questions call 757-825-2711.
Rebellion & Runaway Walk at York River State Park
How did African slavery begin in the Virginia Colony and did they seek freedom from their condition? Did any European indentured servants and Native Americans resist their lot as well? Walking with us you will discover stories of rebellious conspiracies and courageous runaways and how they overcame the challenging terrain of Tidewater Virginia to elude their oppressors. This program is on February 28 at 10 am. Reservations are required.
Experience the Hampton Black History Driving Tour
The 400 Years Forward driving tour explores Hampton Virginia’s African American heritage sites. Sites like the Emancipation Oak, Little England Chapel, Tucker Family Cemetary, Fort Monroe National Monument, Aberdeen Gardens, this historic neighborhood was built for “Blacks by Blacks” in 1935 and Hampton History Museum. Check out the Hampton Black History Driving tour this February.
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