Celebrating February 2026 as Black History Month in the City of Madison

Hi there,

On February 10, 2026, during our Common Council meeting, we honored four community members as part of our annual Black History Month resolution. The energy in Council Chambers was so good — full of joy, love, and community. It reminded me why this work matters.

In order of speaking, we heard empowering remarks from:

• Kaeden Watford
• Dwight Hayes
• Keena Atkinson
• Ashley Moseberry

Their words reflected leadership, family, and a commitment to our community. Moments like this are why representation and recognition are so important — we get to celebrate people while they are here, doing the work, and making an impact.

If you weren’t able to attend, I encourage you to watch the recording.  Start at about one minute and fifty seconds in. 

As we continue celebrating Black History Month, I also encourage you to explore local programming at the Madison Public Library. They are hosting a full series of events, conversations, and opportunities to learn more about Black history and culture throughout the month. 

Many thanks to Alder Glenn for her leadership and partnership on the resolution as well as to all of the Alders who agreed to take part in reading the resolution. 

Image credit: Vernon Brown

Image credit: Vernon Brown

Image credit: Sabrina Madison