Montgomery County Council proclaims February Black History Month, honors local leaders
February 03, 2026 | Montgomery County, Maryland
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Montgomery County Council President Natalie Fani Gonzalez opened the council’s Feb. 3 ceremony by inviting residents and leaders to “celebrate Black History Month” and announced a proclamation designating February as Black History Month for the county. The event included remarks from council members, a commemorative video, a recognition of local leaders and a ceremonial group photograph before the council recessed for lunch.
The council framed the 2026 observance around the national theme, “a century of Black history commemorations,” marking the 100th anniversary of the formal observance of Black History Month and the county’s 250th anniversary. Gonzalez said the county “recognize[s] that Black history is American history,” and emphasized a local commitment to teaching and preserving those histories. Council remarks highlighted both celebration and a call to guard against perceived efforts to erase or downplay Black history; one speaker said recent federal actions had removed commemorative plaques and vowed that “there’s no erasure that we’re gonna allow here in Montgomery County.”
The ceremony honored three local leaders: former County Executive Ike Leggett, Administrative Judge Carla Smith and Jason Green, chair of the Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation. A produced video and in-person remarks recounted Leggett’s background and public-service initiatives, including his role in establishing the county inspector general and earlier county smoking restrictions, and Judge Smith described her decision to seek a judgeship after seeing little Black representation on the bench. The Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation summarized its work, noting it was founded in 2019 and has installed three markers and collected soil samples at sites of historical racial violence in the county.
Council President Gonzalez read a formal proclamation that cites the Emancipation Proclamation and the 1926 founding of Black History Month by Carter G. Woodson, and recognizes African American contributions locally and nationally. The proclamation was presented by Gonzalez with council members listed in the reading; no roll-call vote was recorded during the ceremony. After the proclamation reading the council took a group photo with honorees and recessed until 1:30 p.m.
Highlights from the ceremony included direct appeals to ensure that county curricula and public commemoration continue to include accurate accounts of Black history and the Commission’s continuing work to mark and interpret sites connected to racial terror. The council indicated a broader commitment to equitable investments in county priorities—one council member noted maternal and infant health disparities would be a focus of upcoming budget work.
The council framed the 2026 observance around the national theme, “a century of Black history commemorations,” marking the 100th anniversary of the formal observance of Black History Month and the county’s 250th anniversary. Gonzalez said the county “recognize[s] that Black history is American history,” and emphasized a local commitment to teaching and preserving those histories. Council remarks highlighted both celebration and a call to guard against perceived efforts to erase or downplay Black history; one speaker said recent federal actions had removed commemorative plaques and vowed that “there’s no erasure that we’re gonna allow here in Montgomery County.”
The ceremony honored three local leaders: former County Executive Ike Leggett, Administrative Judge Carla Smith and Jason Green, chair of the Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation. A produced video and in-person remarks recounted Leggett’s background and public-service initiatives, including his role in establishing the county inspector general and earlier county smoking restrictions, and Judge Smith described her decision to seek a judgeship after seeing little Black representation on the bench. The Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation summarized its work, noting it was founded in 2019 and has installed three markers and collected soil samples at sites of historical racial violence in the county.
Council President Gonzalez read a formal proclamation that cites the Emancipation Proclamation and the 1926 founding of Black History Month by Carter G. Woodson, and recognizes African American contributions locally and nationally. The proclamation was presented by Gonzalez with council members listed in the reading; no roll-call vote was recorded during the ceremony. After the proclamation reading the council took a group photo with honorees and recessed until 1:30 p.m.
Highlights from the ceremony included direct appeals to ensure that county curricula and public commemoration continue to include accurate accounts of Black history and the Commission’s continuing work to mark and interpret sites connected to racial terror. The council indicated a broader commitment to equitable investments in county priorities—one council member noted maternal and infant health disparities would be a focus of upcoming budget work.
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