Honor Black History Month Locally

Exploring Black History Month in the DC Metro Area

This month, we’ve compiled a list of ways to dive deeper into the annual observance of Black History month through museums, monuments, local businesses, and more.

Start At The Smithsonian

Almost all Smithsonians are free to the general public and well worth making an entire day for each museum. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is “a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives, and how it helped us shape this nation.” Local note: This museum’s entrance line can sometimes go around the block. Remember: If you live here, beat the crowd by attending on a Tuesday and avoid unwanted lines and wait times.

Celebrate History With Local Street Artwork

Whether it’s a piece of art you happened upon during a stroll in the city or an intentional self-guided tour, take advantage of some of the best creativity in the city with street art. This map guide features enough murals to fill an entire day with DC’s artwork, but we recommend the Fredrick Douglass mural, The Torch, and more.

Remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Legacy At His Memorial

Arguably one of the most pivotal moments in DC history was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's call for equality. We recommend visiting his monument. If you can’t make it this month, consider going during peak cherry blossom season.

Remember Rosa Parks at The Mansion on O Street & O Street Museum

During her visits to DC, Rosa Parks frequented The Mansion on O Street where she is honored in their Museum. This must-experience historic site offers a tour in her honor, which features a short film about her relationship with the Mansion.

Support Black-Owned Businesses in MoCo

We’re extremely fortunate to have so much beautiful diversity in our neighborhoods. According to ThinkMoCo, 45% of MoCo businesses are minority-owned, 50,000 people in the area are employed by minority-owned businesses, and Montgomery County is said to claim anywhere from two to four out of the top ten most culturally-diverse cities in the US. Some of our favorite spots for food? We can’t recommend Bangin’ BBQ enough. For a long list of Black-owned businesses in our area, click here.

We hope our list inspires you to honor Black History month in the DC metro area and to celebrate our diversity. For more ideas, click here.

Do you have a favorite Black-owned business in the area? We’d love to hear about it and share it with our community. Simply reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram so we can spread the MoCo business love!