Black History Month

I’m on my way to Canada, That cold, but happy land;
The dire effects of Slavery, I can no longer stand.
O righteous Father, Do look down on me,
And help me on to Canada, Where colored folks are free!

Sojourner Truth, The Libyan Sybil, Harriett Beecher Stowe, April, 1863.

As you know February is Black History Month. It is a celebration that acknowledges African Canadian’s historic presence and recognizes their many contributions to Canada and to Canadian Culture.

Why Black History Month? Consider this article by Rosemary Sadlier, President, Ontario Black History Society:

Black History Month evolved from the work of Carter G. Woodson, an African American, in the 1920’s. He established Black History Month Week as a week of celebration to follow the year’s study of Black history. The week he chose included Feb 12 for President Lincoln who brought emancipation into law in the United States and Feb 14 for Frederick Douglas who advocated for Blacks to do what they could within their own country to lead a better life for all Black people.

But why have a Black History Month? African Canadians students (for instance), need to feel affirmed, need to be aware of the contributions made by other Blacks in Canada, need to have role models, need to understand the social forces which have shaped and influenced their community and their identities as a means of feeling connected to the educational experience and their life experience in various regions in Canada. They need to feel empowered. The greater Canadian community needs to know a history of Canada that includes all of the founding and pioneering experiences in order to work from reality, rather than perception alone.

As a people, with roots dating back to 1603, African-Canadians have defended, cleared, built and farmed this country; our presence is well established, but not well known. The celebration of Black History Month is an attempt to have the achievements of Black people recognized and told.

We need a Black History Month in order to help us to arrive at an understanding of ourselves as Canadians in the most accurate and complete socio-historical context that we can produce. As a nation with such diversity, all histories need to be known, all voices need to be expressed. Black history provides the binary opposite to all traditional histories. One needs traditional history to engender a common culture; one needs Black history to engender a clearer and more complete culture.

When the contributions of people of African descent are acknowledged, when the achievements of Black people are known, when Black people are routinely included or affirmed through our curriculum, our books and the media, and treated with equality, then there will no longer be a need for Black History Month.