Boston’s Black History Month Guide: Where to Shop, Learn, and Celebrate 🗣️🖤
Here’s how Boston is Commemorating Black History Month: Black Heritage Trail, Black-Owned Bookstore, and Other Events! (Jan 27th to Feb 2nd, 2025)


WHAT'S POPPIN'
This Is How Boston is Commemorating Black History Month in the City 🎉✨

What's Going On? - Feb 1st marks the start of Black History Month in Boston. The city comes alive with events, performances, and exhibitions honoring Black history, culture, and contributions.
Black History in Boston - Boston has a long and impactful Black history, from the fight against slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. The city was home to key abolitionists like Frederick Douglass and William Cooper Nell, and sites like the African Meeting House—America’s oldest Black church—continue to share these stories today. In the 20th century, neighborhoods like Roxbury became cultural and political hubs, fostering jazz legends, civil rights activism, and Black entrepreneurship.
5 Local Picks For Black History Month:
Black Heritage Trail 👞
Explore the 1.5-mile-long trail linking sites that explore the trials of the free black community from the late 1700s through the 1800s in Beacon Hill. These pivotal residents and activists were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and the early struggle for equal rights and education. This location also includes the Museum of African American History and African Meeting House which is free to the public.
When:
- Self-guided: Anytime
- African Americans Patriots® Guided Tour: Buy Tickets
Where: 46 Joy St, Beacon Hill
Ain't No Mo Broadway Show 🎤😍
This 2023 Tony Nominee for Best Play dares to ask the incendiary question, ‘What if the U.S. government offered Black Americans one-way plane tickets to Africa?’ The answer is this high-octane comedy. The play moves through “the turbulent skies of being Black in today’s America,” and blends “sketch, satire, avant-garde theater and a dose of drag.”
$25 to $85 per ticket
When: On-Going Show Till February 8th | See Times
Where: SpeakEasy Stage Company, 527 Tremont Street, Boston
Black-Owned Business Marketplace 🛍️
Celebrate Black History Month by supporting Black-Owned Businesses. Explore unique, hand-crafted gifts, bags, jewelry, and more from 16+ vendors!
Free
When: 2-day Event
- Friday, February 7th | 12pm to 7pm
- Saturday, February 8th | 11am to 7pm
Where: 1 Brattle Square, Harvard Square, Cambridge
Black Owned Bos. 👗
Rooted in community impact, Black Owned Bos. operates as a mission-driven, for-profit business committed to empowering black entrepreneurs. Shop their in-person retail store and online shop.
In-Person Retail Store:
When: Open Every Thursday to Sunday | 11am to 6pm
Where: 623 Tremont St, South End, Boston
Grace By Nia 🎺
Owned by a Roxbury native and community leader, Grace By Nia is a black-owned supper and jazz club. They offer a soul-inspired menu, an intimate stage for live music, and a gorgeous cocktail lounge.
When: Open Every Wednesday to Sunday | Time Varies
Where: One Seaport, 60 Seaport Blvd, Boston



HIDDEN GEM
Boston’s Black-Owned Community Bookstore 📚

💝 What Is It? - Frugal Bookstore is an affordable community bookstore located in Roxbury with a passion for promoting literacy among local youth and adults. Frugal has played a key role in diversifying the selection of children’s books in Boston Public Schools and offers the widest range of in-store Black literature in the Boston area.
📖 Supporting Local Black Authors - A visitor once described Frugal Bookstore as the “only store in Boston where you can find books written by and for Black people.” Beyond its shelves, the bookstore serves as a vibrant community space, hosting events like book readings and poetry slams that foster connections between Black writers, their stories, and the local community.
🚶 Getting There -Conveniently located in Nubian Square Market, Frugal Bookstore is easily accessible by public transit. Simply take the 1 bus for a direct route. Parking is also easy to find for those driving.
Frugal Bookstore 📚🤓
When: Open Everyday, Closed Sundays | 10am to 6pm
Where: 57 Warren St, Nubian Square, Roxbury


THIS WEEKEND


Harvard Art Museum at Night 🖼️
Wander over 50 galleries, as well as enjoy a live DJ, snacks, beverages, and network with locals.
When; Thursday, January 30th | 5pm to 9pm
Where: Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge
Boston Cocktail Mocktail Challenge 🍸
Gather your friends and enjoy a vibrant day of sipping, sampling, and celebrating the best in cocktails, mocktails, ready-to-drink (RTD) creations, and more.
When: Saturday, February 1st | 1pm to 8pm
Where: Time Out Market, 401 Park Dr, Fenway
How Bazaar Vintage Market 🛍️
50 small local businesses are selling all kinds of wicked weird & witchy wares! Enjoy a sensational selection of boldly bizarre vintage goods & mystically magical antiques.
When: All Weekend, February 1st & 2nd | 11am to 6pm
Where: The Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave, Boston
WINTERACTIVE Walkable Art Experience 🎉
Enjoy a free, walkable art experience featuring more than 15 artworks and interactive play elements as you stroll the streets of Downtown Boston.
When: January 15th to March 30th | All Day
Where: Winthrop Center, 115 Federal Street, Boston
During Black History Month, we honor the efforts and accomplishments of African Americans in all walks of life and make a commitment to keep pushing for a more inclusive future.
