Black History in Canada

The Canadian Encyclopedia: Black History Month in Canada

• Learn about the origins of Black History Month in Canada and how each province celebrated and acknowledge their Black communities before 1995 when Black History Month would be officially recognized by the Federal Government and celebrated every February. 

Hogan's Alley: Vancouver's Black Community 

• Hogan's Alley was the colloquial name for Park Lane in the Strathcona neighbourhood between Main Street and Jackson Avenue. It was home to the Vancouver Black community. However, the population was displaced when the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts were built. Read more about the society that is looking to restore the Black community's space. They recently struck an agreement with the municipal government to help start reviving the community. 

Salt Spring Island's Black settlers set stage for today's community

• Salt Spring Island was once home to one of BC's most important Black communities in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Evelyn C. White, a former Salt Spring Island resident briefly explores the island's history in this piece. 

Periodic Table of Canadian Black History

• From entrepreneurs to musicians, writers to activists there is much to be learned from this unique site which provides an interactive and creative representation of Canadian Black History.  

12 Black Queer Canadian Artists to Know

• Out on Screen is highlighting Black Queer Canadian artists to know and provides a list to get you started.

Radio Canada International: Portraits of Black Canadians

• Radio Canada International has produced a series of vignettes spotlighting some of the Black Canadians that have marked the country’s past, as well as those that are marking Canada’s present.

Community Stories - BC's Black Pioneers: Their Industry and Character Influenced and Character the Vision of Canada

• The BC Black History Awareness Society and Digital Museums Canada offers a wealth of resources including stories, videos, and pictures of some of the first Black people in BC.

Black on the Prairies: 2022 “Place” Edition

• CBC’s Black on the Prairies, Place Edition, places Blackness in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba at the centre of Canada’s story. For more stories about the Black experience in Canada, you can go to Being Black in Canada.

Celebrating Black Canadian writers and filmmakers.

• Curated by the Library, this list features works and resources from our library collections created by Black Canadians.

Other stories of interest:

• CBC Kids: How did Black History Month come to be?
• CBC Kids: 5 Black Canadians that are leading the change
• The Incredible Black Canadian Women You Should Know
  
• 12 Black Canadians Who Changed The Music Scene
  
• Meet some of Vancouver's Black changemakers and community leaders
  
• 28 Moments of Black Canadian History

CBC Radio: Part 1 - Canada's slavery secret: The whitewashing of 200 years of enslavement 

• “What does it take to erase 200 years of history from the collective consciousness of a nation?” - Charmaine Nelson, McGill Professor of Art History 

CBC Radio: Part 2 - Slavery's long shadow: The impact of 200 years of enslavement in Canada 

• From racial slurs to microaggressions, racism remains entrenched in Canadian society, and its root causes may reach further back than we think. 

Podcast: The History of People of African Descent in Canada 

• In this podcast, Dr. Isaac Saney discusses and explains the history of people of African descent in Canada and the long struggle for freedom and self-determination. 

Podcast: A Seat at the Table – Episode “Hockey's Diversity Problem with Anthony Duclair + Salim Valji” 

• The NBA, WNBA, Premier League and several other sports leagues have been unequivocal about their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The NHL, however, has been quieter than most. Martine and Isabelle talk to Ottawa Senators forward Anthony Duclair about what it’s like to be a Black hockey player, and they bring journalist Salim Valji to the table to discuss why racism remains one of hockey’s most taboo topics. 

Podcast: The Secret Life of Canada – Episode “The Province of Jamaica” 

• This episode looks at early Caribbean migration to Canada and reveal which islands could have become Canadian provinces. It also dives into the history of Black railway porters and how they and their wives made Winnipeg a hub of labour activism in Canada. 

Podcast: The Secret Life of Canada – Episode “Crash Course on Nora’s Place in Hogan’s Alley” 

• When vaudeville performer Nora Hendrix ended up in Vancouver in the early 1900s, she became a fixture in Hogan's Alley, the neighborhood at the center of Vancouver's Black community. By the time she died at 100 years old in 1984, she had led the community and raised a large family. This included her grandson who would live with her in Hogan’s Alley from time to time. His name was Jimi Hendrix. 

Podcast: The Secret Life of Canada – Episode “Crash Course on Black Nurses” 

• This Crash Course looks into the surprisingly young history of Black nurses in Canada and why many of these women had to travel to the U.S. for their education. It also takes a look at the story of the Black Cross Nurses and how Black nurses went from shutouts to leaders in a matter of decades. 

There are a number of ways you can support the community all year long:

• Donate to mutual aid funds that support local Black communities and non-profits like The Vancouver Black Library, which is looking for funding to establish a public space to start the library.  
• Try some delicious food from a Black-owned restaurant like The Lion's Den Cafe
• “Do a quick google search or find a Black-owned business in your area here: https://blackbusinessdirect.ca/ or in the US and other parts of the world here: https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/support-black-owned-businesses/
• The list goes on!

Do you have other ideas? Let us know your thoughts at edioffice@langara.ca.

2024 Events

Black in BC: Celebrating Black Excellence 2024 with the DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society 

• The free event on February 1st, features inspirational speakers, food, music and dance, bringing more than 200 guests from Surrey and Metro Vancouver to celebrate Black talent, cultures and achievements in Canada, while creating space for connection and learning. 

Black History Month at Pacific Arts Market 

• Each weekend from February 3rd to February 25th, there will be many captivating activities to commemorate Black History Month. Prepare to be captivated by awe-inspiring art exhibitions, soul-stirring poetry readings, electrifying live music performances, enlightening workshops, and thought-provoking speakers. This is an experience you simply cannot afford to miss! 

Black History Month at VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) 

• VIFF presents two new series: A New Chapter and Celebrating Black Futures. 

  A New Chapter brings back the made-in-Vancouver festival hit Union Street for a limited engagement at the VIFF Centre (Feb 2-7), presenting the definitive film record of Hogan’s Alley. Additionally, director Jamila Pomeroy has selected two inspiring international films as a sidebar to these screenings: Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, and Suhaib Gasmelbari’s Talking About Trees. 

  In partnership with the Vancouver Art Gallery, on successive Thursdays through the month VIFF is presenting Celebrating Black Futures, paying tribute to the late Charles Officer, with a free screening of his inspiring documentary Mighty Jerome (Feb 4). 

Pages on Stage: A Black Storytelling Event 

• In celebration of queer Black history in Vancouver, QMUNITY's Black History Month Advisory Committee brings you a captivating event, featuring Black queer community members who will take centre stage to share their lived experiences. Each storyteller will weave a narrative exploring the intersections of their identity, offering the audience the nuances of the Black queer experience. Through laughter and introspection, this event will be a celebration of love, joy and self-discovery.

Underground Comedy Railroad Tour 

•  "The Underground Comedy Railroad" is marking a significant milestone for this groundbreaking all-Black comedy tour in Canada with its 12th anniversary showcasing Black Canadian comedians and their distinct voices across the country. Each year, the tour, which spans from Halifax to British Columbia, features a fresh lineup of talented comics who offer their humorous takes on a range of topics, including race and daily life in Canada. 
   

Year-Round

Vancouver Black Library

• Maya Preshyon has created an amazing library filled with books supporting the Black Community, keeping and telling stories from the Vancouver Black Community. They also organize mini concerts, events, and special guests. Check out their Instagram @vanblacklibrary

Black Vancouver Club

• Looking for more inspiration and events from the Vancouver Black Community? You can take a look at the Instagram page, Black Van Club @blackvanclub

BC Black History Awareness Society 

• The BC Black History Awareness Society based out of Victoria. Head to their event page to see their year-round offerings. 

African Descent Festival: Celebrating Diversity and Unity in Vancouver

• The African Descent Festival is intended to celebrate the cultural diversity of people of African Descent within Vancouver, while recognizing and promoting attitudes of oneness among all ethnic groups and communities. This cultural event will allow Canadians, specifically Vancouverites to enjoy and learn about different cultures and countries from Africa, some of which have strong embedded grassroot initiatives and history within the city.