Black Excellence

What is Black History Month in Canada?

In the month of February, people in Canada discover and celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities. Since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa, a Black navigator and interpreter who came to the Americas in the early 1600s, Black Canadians have contributed to Canada’s heritage. Because Black history in Canada has not always been highlighted, many people don’t know about the enormous contributions Black people have made to Canadian society. Through the month of February, it is important to recognize the resilience and determination Black people have demonstrated and continue to demonstrate in order to make Canada an inclusive place where everyone has an opportunity to flourish.

Recognizing Black History Month in Parliament

In 1995, the House of Commons unanimously agreed on a motion by Dr Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, to officially recognize February as Black History Month. Canada’s parliamentary position on Black History month was completed in March 2008 following the unanimous approval in the Senate of a Motion to Recognize the Contributions of Black Canadians and February as Black History Month. This motion was presented by Senator Donald Oliver, the first Black man appointed to the Senate.

SOURCE: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/about.html

Spotlight: Oscar Peterson

What do you know about Oscar Peterson and Little Burgundy? Check out this video for some history about this Montreal neighbourhood.

Spotlight - Oscar Peterson -- Check out this Heritage Minute

Let's take a look at this article and then you will write 5 sentences about Oscar Peterson.

Oscar Peterson CBC Kids Article

Canada Post Info about Oscar Peterson Stamp

Mary Ann Shadd

Spotlight: Hogan's Alley & Africville

Canadian Stamp Stories Africville & Hogan's Alley

What was Hogan's Alley? Here is an interesting episode about Black History in BC.

BLACK STRATHCONA
One Community, Six Decades, Ten Stories

From to early 1900s until the late 1960s, the East Side neighbourhood of Strathcona was home to Vancouver's first and only black community. Click on the previous link to see ten video stories about the neighbourhood. These videos celebrate some of the people and places that made the community vibrant and unique.

Remembering Africville

History Bits Video
Gone But Not Forgotten, Nova Scotia Archives
Artifact 1 : Boys beside Canadian National railcar, Africville, with “Please boil this water before drinking and cooking” sign in foreground
Artifact 2 : Two Africville houses
Artifact 3 : Two young people walking along an unpaved street, Africville
Artifact 4 : Young blueberry pickers, Africville, with railway tracks, houses and Bedford Basin in the background
Artifact 5 : Young men playing horseshoes, Africville
Artifact 6 : Family in their living room, Africville
Looking at the photos, Artifacts 1-6, consider these questions:
What kinds of living conditions do you notice in these photos?
Can you get a sense of what it was like to live here?
What might that look like?
Is there a difference between outside their homes and inside?
Can you get a sense of the community that prevailed in Africville?
Canadian Human Rights Museum: The Story of Africville
The Story of Africville
Reflecting on the Legacy of Africville

Spotlight Chloe Cooley

Canada Post Chloe Cooley

Canadian Geographic Information Chloe Cooley

Spotlight Willie O'Ree

Canada Post Willie O'Ree

Willie O'Ree Facts for Kids

Willie O'Ree Stats and News NHL

Spotlight - Eleanor Collins

Canada Post Info Elenor Collins

Elenor Collins Canadian Encyclopedia

Spotlight Salome Bey

Canada Post Salome Bey Info

Spotlight Early Communities Amber Valley and Willow Grove

Canada Post Info Amber Valley and Willow Grove

Spotlight Colored Hockey Championships

Canada Post Info - Colored Hockey Championship

Spotlight Albert Jackson

Canada Post Albert Jackson Info

Spotlight Kay Livingstone

Canada Post Info Kay Livingstone

Canada Post Magazine Info

Spotlight Lincoln M. Alexander

Canada Post Info Lincoln M. Alexander

Canada Post Magazine Info

Spotlight Mathieu Da Costa

Canada Post Info Mathieu Da Costa

Mathieu Da Costa Information
image below is from this website: Significant events in Black Canadian history - Canada.ca

Spotlight No. 2 Construction Battalion
Canadian Geographic information
Canada Post Information No. 2 Construction Battalion

Spotlight: Nelson Mandela

Canada Post Nelson Mandela

Spotlight Oliver Jones

Canadian Stamp Stories Oliver Jones and Joe Fortes

Canadian Encyclopedia Oliver Jones

Spotlight: Harry Jerome and Valerie Jerome

Interview with Valerie Jerome about Harry Jerome

BC Black History Awareness Society: Harry Jerome

Valerie Jerome Biography UBC

Jerome Outreach Society - Inner City Sports

Sleeping Car Porters

Artifacts images

Artifacts Described

Artifact 1 – A porter with two other employees at a stop during the tour of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle across Canada, 1914, Library and Archives Canada
Artifact 2 – Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Plaque at Roundhouse Park, Heritage Toronto
Artifact 3 – Railway Porters and Their Union National Historic Event Plaque in the Windsor Station in Montreal, Quebec
Artifact 4 – Stanley Grizzle Name Train Car Sign
Artifact 5 – CPR Porters, Library and Archives Canada

Canadian Museum of Human Rights - story Sleeping Car Porters

Library and Archives Canada Blog Sleeping Car Porters

Railway Men Video - as you learned from the Video about Hogan's Alley, for Black men, being a porter for the railways was a hard but good job. Let's find out a bit more about that by watching the History Bits video below: