Salem To Host Black History Month Celebration This Weekend

SALEM, MA — North Shore residents are invited to Salem this weekend for two days of events celebrating Black History Month.

The celebration follows the raising of the African-American Heritage Flag at City Hall on Monday.

"It is a great honor to not only be celebrating Salem's 400+ anniversary in 2026, but also to be marking 100 years of recognizing and celebrating Black history," Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said. "From the establishment of Negro History Week in 1926 to its formal recognition as Black History Month in 1976, the year 2026 presents a meaningful opportunity to honor these milestones through both celebration and education."

Saturday's event at Old Town Hall will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a keynote address from local author poet, speaker and entrepreneur Vick Breedy.

A recipient of Local Black Excellence Award, Breedy has published novels, poetry albums, and journals and leads community initiatives such as the Selfish Women’s Group and the Stereotyped* Men's Group.

Anti-Racist Educator and Organizer Toni Waldron will then present a program on the Freeman Family of West Gloucester. It highlights the work of community members, researchers, and
archivists who uncovered the "hidden history" of a prominent Black family that lived as free landowners in Massachusetts for more than a century.

A graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School and Tufts University, Waldron is a longtime educator and community organizer and was instrumental in organizing Gloucester's first citywide Juneteenth celebration.

At 2:30 p.m., there will be live music from Coco Brown and The Invitation featuring Craig Powe, led by
Nicole Harris, generously sponsored by Salem Fire Department Local 172, and Ascend–Get Lifted.

The free event will include free food from Black-owned Ivory Baker, along with hot chocolate, family-friendly activities, live hand-drawn caricatures, and a pop-up market and resource fair featuring Black-owned businesses, nonprofits and service organizations.

A culture, dance and music event happens on Sunday, starting at 1:30 p.m. with an interactive session led by dance instructor Greg Coles.

Live music from Coco Brown and The Invitation, featuring Craig Powe, led byNicole Harris, returns at 2:30 p.m., again sponsored by The House of the Seven Gables and Ascend–Get Lifted.

There will once again be free food from Ivory Bakery, hot chocolate, family activities and the Black Pop-Up Market and Resource Fair from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached @Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)