Juneteenth, June 19, 2026, will also be Napoleon Jones-Henderson Day in the City of Boston, after the Boston City Council unanimously adopted an official resolution offered by Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia at its June 10 meeting to celebrate the Boston artist who died last Dec. 6.
“The resolution honors Napoleon’s more than five decades of contributions as an artist, educator, mentor, and cultural leader in Boston, as well as his role as one of the longest continuously active members of the AfriCOBRA movement,” according to Dulce María Bernal-Sandoval, Mejia’s director of policy and communications.
Full text of Boston City Council resolution:
Resolution Recognizing June 19, 2025, As ‘Napoleon Jones-Henderson Day’ In The City Of Boston
Whereas, Napoleon Jones-Henderson was a celebrated artist, educator, mentor, and
cultural advocate whose work profoundly shaped the artistic and cultural
landscape of Boston and beyond and
Whereas, After making Roxbury his home in 1974, Jones-Henderson dedicated
more than five decades to uplifting Black artistic expression, mentoring
generations of artists, and strengthening the cultural fabric of the City of
Boston; and
Whereas, Jones-Henderson was one of the longest continuously active members of
the groundbreaking AfriCOBRA movement, a collective of Black artists
whose work advanced themes of empowerment, self-determination, and
cultural pride; and
Whereas, His artistic excellence and commitment to community engagement earned
him numerous honors, including the National Conference of Artists’
Award of Excellence, an Official Massachusetts State Senate Citation for
Cultural Excellence, and Roxbury Community College’s 2025 Lifetime
Achievement Award; and
Whereas, His legacy lives on through his public artwork, including Nyame Birbi Wo
Soro and Vibratory Spirits and HooDoo Rhythms | The Seer, as well as
through the countless students, artists, and community members he
mentored throughout his life; Therefore Be It
Resolved, That the Boston City Council recognizes the extraordinary life,
contributions, and legacy of Napoleon Jones-Henderson and declares June
19 of 2026 to be observed as Napoleon Jones-Henderson Day in the City
of Boston.
Filed in Council: June 10, 2026
The day is a one-time celebration, Bernal-Sandoval writes, “it does not establish a recurring annual observance or city holiday.”
Related:
Dec. 7, 2025: Goodbye To Revered Boston Artist Napoleon Jones-Henderson
Oct. 10, 2023: Roxbury Open Studios: Napoleon Jones-Henderson, Ekua Holmes
Aug. 14, 2019: Wadsworth Jarrell, AfriCOBRA And Creating ‘Art That African People Can Relate To’
Dec. 28, 2018: The Original Black Power Mural And A New History Of African American Art From Chicago
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