Black History Month - February

It was the Canadian Negro Women’s Association that introduced the celebration of Black History Month to Toronto in the 1950’s. This black Canadian community initiative was adopted by the Ontario government in 1979, thanks to its championing by the Ontario Black History Society. In 1995, the House of Commons declared a national Black History Month, which went into effect in 1996.

Black History Month exists to remind us all of the rich contributions within our society from people of African and Caribbean decent, and of their ongoing struggle for equity and social justice. Teachers have the opportunity to engage their students, not only during this month but throughout the school year and recognizing the strengths and resiliency of communities that historically have been marginalized, as well examining issues of racism and the impact of discrimination on these communities.

Teachers can also encourage students aged 9 to 18 to participate in the Mathieu Da Costa Challenge competition. This involves submitting original artwork or writing about how specific individuals from Canada’s black, Aboriginal, and other ethnocultural backgrounds have contributed to the development of Canada.  The website for the Mathieu Da Costa Challenge is located at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/mathieudacosta/index-eng.asp.

Related Resources and Events

• The Canadian Race Relations Foundation is committed to building a national framework for the fight against racism in Canadian society: to shed light on the causes and manifestations of racism; provide independent, outspoken national leadership; and act as a resource and facilitator in the pursuit of equity, fairness, and social justice.
  http://www.crr.ca 
  
  
• The Buxton National Historic Site and Museum celebrates the Underground Railroad and early Black settlement in Canada. 
  http://www.buxtonmuseum.com
  
  
• An annotated guide to online resources on the history of Canada's Black community.
  http://blackhistorycanada.ca/
  
  
• Harbourfront Centre presents Kuumba, An all ages festival celebrating Black History Month.http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/kuumba/