Our province is home to a rich mosaic of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, including those of the Black community. February is Black History Month, a time to honour the legacy, achievements, and contributions of Black people in Canada, reflecting on our shared pasts to build a brighter future together.

To better understand the lived experiences of the Black community in Canada today, we need to acknowledge their history. We know the earliest Black inhabitants in Canada were enslaved, and throughout the decades this group faced racial discrimination throughout our country which created barriers to housing, employment, education, and access to public services.

The legacy of these mechanisms continues to affect Canada’s Black community today with increased wage gaps, disparity in postsecondary education, decreased employment, and a disproportionate number living in poverty.

Despite this systemic oppression, Canada’s Black community is a resilient and powerful force that continues to enrich our province and country.

For more about the history of Black people in Canada, visit the Black History Canada website.

The following is a list of resources to help deepen our understanding of Canada’s Black culture, history, and experiences:

READ

• Alberta’s Black Pioneer Heritage – Heritage Community Foundation

• And Still We Rise: A Black Presence in Alberta, late 1800s – 1970s – Dr. Jennifer Kelly

• Assembling Auntie – Alberta Views Magazine

• Black Albertans You Should Know – University of Calgary, Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

• Black History Month… by the numbers – Statistics Canada

• Black on the Prairies – CBC

• Black Women in Canada – Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

• “I like to be heard”: The Story of Fil Fraser, Canada’s First Black Broadcaster – Royal Alberta Museum

WATCH

• Black History in Canada: A Select Timeline – Historica Canada

• Deeply Rooted: A Black family’s history as 7th-generation Canadians – CBC

• Howdy, I’m John Ware – Red Barn Books

• Journey to Justice – National Film Board of Canada

• Proud of our History – Black History Month – Heritage Canada

ATTEND

A Black History Tribute in the Musical Style of Mahalia Jackson

Friday, February 16
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. @ The Cathedral Church of the Redeemer

Beyond the Token: Black Poetry Panel & Performances

Thursday, February 22
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. @ Central Public Library – Level 1 – 1-03 Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall

A Black History Month ‘Celebration of Excellence’

Saturday, February 24
4:30 – 7:30 p.m. @ Courtyard by Marriott Calgary Airport

Black History Month: The Civil Rights Movement in Alberta

Monday, February 26
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. @ Central Library – Level 1 – 1-03 Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall

NMC Presents: Pass the Mic with Master T & Guests

Tuesday, February 27
7:30 p.m. @ Studio Bell

An Evening with Black Art Historian: Dr. Charmaine Nelson

Thursday, February 29
6:00 p.m. @ University of Calgary, Craigie Hall 119