Black History Month
The choice of February as the month to highlight Black history was obvious to the initiators at the time, as it coincided with the birthdays of two emblematic figures in the abolition of slavery: Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.
The first Negro Week was held in the United States in 1926. The idea made its way to Canada, where it was introduced in 1978. The story behind the creation of Black History Month is presented on this page, which also mentions the proclamation by Quebec’s National Assembly making it official on February 1, 2007.
The aim of this designation is to pay tribute to the contribution of the black community to our societies, past and present. It is also an opportunity to discover historical facts, including the fact that black people suffered slavery in many countries, on different scales, such as Canada and the United States.
A number of initiatives have been put forward to recognize the contribution of people from the
At the same time, invitations are extended to explore the various facets of the history and ongoing contributions of the Black community, as evidenced by this article in USA Today and this site, which provides some information and avenues for action.
Tribute to Nell Toussaint
There’s also the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) initiative, which each year pays tribute to a black person who has made a significant contribution. In 2024, the organization wishes to highlight the contribution of human rights activist Nell Toussaint, who died last year. She fought long and hard to ensure that everyone received appropriate care, regardless of their immigration status. SCFP wanted to highlight her courage and determination in the cause of justice.
There have also been a number of initiatives in recent years, such as the invitation to open up to the literary and artistic production of people from the black community. We also note the efforts of publishing houses to translate books by numerous black writers. The essays by African-American feminist Bell hooks, for example, have only recently been translated into French. Robyn Maynard’s essay NoirEs sous surveillance was translated and published by Mémoire d’encrier.
Avenues to explore…
February will also see the broadcast of numerous television programs on national and specialized stations.
In short, Black History Month is an invitation to discover the many facets of the Black community and to appreciate its contribution.
Here are a few other avenues to explore…
- Radio-Canada – Over 400 years of Canadian history
- Canadian historical reminder with the Canadian Encyclopedia
- Timeline – Franco-Ontarian (in French only)
- Collection of NFB films by allied directors or directors from Black communities