Author: John, Content Director at Creative Collective, covering community and culture across Essex County’s North Shore.
A snowstorm might have delayed the party, but it didn’t slow down the mission. The Local Black Excellence display, curated by North Shore Juneteenth Association Inc. (NSJA), is up right now in the foyer of Lynn City Hall — and it’s well worth a visit. The Opening Night celebration, originally set for February 10th, 2026, got pushed back due to a citywide parking ban. A new date is coming soon. In the meantime, the display is open and ready for you.
What Is the Local Black Excellence Recognition?
The Local Black Excellence Awards aren’t your typical ceremony. NSJA launched this recognition in 2018 with a core belief that still drives everything today: excellence isn’t defined solely by titles, wealth, or status. It’s measured by service, mentorship, advocacy, leadership, and showing up for others every single day.
The display spotlights Black Americans and individuals from across the African Diaspora who live that kind of excellence in diverse ways. Some honorees are recognized for professional achievement. Others are celebrated for community care — mentoring youth, supporting families, standing up for justice, and volunteering their time. Past honorees have come from Lynn, Peabody, Salem, Medford, and Gloucester, making this a truly regional celebration.
Community members, schools, and organizations are all encouraged to visit the display and learn about both past and present honorees. It’s a powerful reminder during Black History Month that the people making the North Shore better are often the ones working quietly, consistently, and without fanfare.
Who Is Nicole McClain?
To understand what the Local Black Excellence Awards represent, you need to know the woman behind them. Nicole McClain is the founder and president of NSJA, a Lynn Councilor-At-Large, an Army National Guard veteran with two tours in Iraq, and a lifelong Lynner who has spent years building the kind of community representation she wished she’d seen growing up.
McClain started what would become the North Shore Juneteenth Association in 2016, initially as the Lynn Juneteenth Committee. The catalyst was personal. Her teenage son had a traumatic encounter with local police — tackled and restrained while walking with friends. That experience crystallized something McClain had felt for years: the North Shore needed more positive representation of Black American culture, and she was ready to make it happen.
“I needed to do something to change how we are being treated,” McClain has said. “This negative representation of Black Americans has been widely exposed. I wanted to show more positive images and aspects of Black American culture.”
By 2017, the organization had rebranded as the North Shore Juneteenth Association and started expanding beyond Lynn. In 2023, McClain made history as the first Black woman elected Councilor-At-Large in the City of Lynn. She was sworn in again for the 2026 Council term this past January. She completed her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy at Boston College in 2024 and serves on the board of the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts.
Her resume is remarkable, but it’s her deep community roots that define the work. McClain grew up in West Lynn, raised by a single mother. She joined the Army National Guard at 17, served for 11 years, and then came home to give back to the city that raised her.
What Does NSJA Do Year-Round?
The Local Black Excellence Awards are the organization’s Black History Month anchor, but NSJA runs programming year-round. Their work reaches well beyond Lynn, with events and partnerships across the North Shore.
Juneteenth Celebrations and Flag Raisings — NSJA partners with communities across the region to host Juneteenth observances. In recent years, they’ve organized flag raisings and ceremonies in Lynn, Marblehead, Beverly, Salem, Everett, and Lynnfield. These events feature speakers, musical performances, and community gatherings that educate residents about the holiday and its significance.
Frederick Douglass Community Reading — Every Fourth of July, NSJA collaborates with community members for a public reading of Frederick Douglass’s historic speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” The event, now in its fourth year, includes musical and dance performances, vendors, and community dialogue.
Black Excellence 5K — This annual fundraiser, running since 2018, lines the route with images of prominent and lesser-known Black American figures. It turns a road race into a moving history lesson, with awards for top finishers in multiple age categories. Registration is available through RunSignUp.
Hats, Heels, Bow Ties & Blazers Tea — This annual networking and fundraising event has grown from its origins as the “Hats and Heels High Tea” into a broader celebration of community leadership. The 2026 edition, themed “Blazing The Trail,” takes place April 18th at Spinelli’s in Peabody.
Family Paint Night — Children and parents learn about Black American artists while creating art together — one of NSJA’s most accessible and joyful community programs.
[Image: nsja-juneteenth-celebration-lynn-north-shore.jpg – North Shore Juneteenth Association community celebration highlighting Black American culture in Lynn]
Additionally, NSJA has organized the Diversity Matters Festival at Red Rock Park and created the Tower of Strength traveling exhibit. That exhibit has appeared at Endicott College, Old Town Hall in Salem, North Shore Community College, and the Salem Maritime Park Visitor Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, McClain and NSJA pivoted to direct community support — partnering with the North Shore Labor Council to deliver groceries to families in need. That program eventually grew to serve hundreds of families.
How Can You See the Display and Stay Connected?
The Local Black Excellence display is on view now in the foyer of Lynn City Hall at 3 City Hall Square, Lynn, MA 01901. City Hall is generally open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Tuesday from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM, and Friday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
A new date for the formal Opening Night celebration will be announced soon. To stay updated, follow NSJA on Instagram at @nsjuneteenth or visit their website at nsjuneteenth.com. You can also find NSJA in the Creative Collective member directory.
Why This Work Matters on the North Shore
NSJA’s mission — to educate the broader community about positive aspects of Black American culture and to dismantle racism through events and programming — feels especially vital right now. What started as a single Juneteenth celebration in Lynn has grown into a regional presence with programming that reaches communities across Essex County. That growth hasn’t happened by accident. It’s happened because McClain and her team have consistently shown up, built partnerships, and done the work.
As McClain has reminded audiences at flag raisings across the North Shore: “Black American history is American history. All the things that happened in Black American culture happened right here in America, so it is American history and should be acknowledged as that as well.”
The Local Black Excellence display at Lynn City Hall is an invitation to do just that. Stop by, learn something, and celebrate the people making the North Shore a stronger community.
We were proud to feature Nicole on the Creativity Connects podcast!
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North Shore Juneteenth Association | Cultural Education & Community Events
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The mission of The North Shore Juneteenth Association is a group of community leaders seeking to create awareness about the Juneteenth holiday, educate the broader community about positive aspects of African American culture, and dismantle racism by using events and programming as a tool for change.
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