Black History Month in Virginia

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February is Black History Month. Learn more about Black history in Virginia, as well as ways to celebrate.

Spotlight

Throughout the month of February, notable Black men and women of Virginia's history will be featured.

Maggie L. Walker

Featured Woman

Maggie Lena Walker was an African-American businesswoman and teacher. Walker was the first African-American woman to charter a bank and serve as its president in the United States. As a leader, Walker achieved successes with the vision to make tangible improvements in the way of life for African Americans.

Learn More about Maggie L. Walker

Photo of Stan Maclin

Stan Maclin

Featured Man

Stan Maclin (December 27, 1953–January 11, 2021) was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of nonviolence to effect social change. He became a Mennonite minister, advocated diversity and inclusion, and worked with the local chapter of Virginia Organizing to bring immigrant groups together to combat anti-immigration legislation. He promoted criminal justice reform to eliminate lengthy mandatory sentencing, and taught on empowerment and reentry after incarceration. In response to police shootings of unarmed Black men, Maclin co-founded Americans Resisting Minority and Ethnic Discrimination in 2016. The peaceful rallies he organized during the summer of 2020 led to establishment of the People's Equality Commission of the Shenandoah Valley, which provides a collective platform for citizens to combat institutional racism.

Learn More about Stan Maclin

Photo Mary Bowser

Mary Richards Bowser

Featured Woman

Mary Bowser was born in Richmond as a slave of the Van Lew family. Elizabeth Van Lew paid for her education in the North and granted her freedom prior to the Civil War. Bowser returned to pose as a servant in the Confederate White House and assisted Van Lew's pro-union intelligence ring.

Learn More about Mary Richards Bowser

Looking for additional featured people?

To view the archived featured list of notable black men and women of Virginia featured on Virginia.gov click the button below.

View Full List

Learn

Check out the resources below to learn more on Black history in Virginia.

Attractions

Below is a brief featured list of Black history attractions that provide great resources for learning more about Black history in Virginia.

Featured Attractions

More Attractions

Click below to view more Virginia Black history attractions.

View More Attractions

Celebrate

Celebrate Black History Month in Virginia by participating in a variety of events.

2025 Black History Month Events In Virginia