In 1926, Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian, dedicated a week in February to recognize the accomplishments of African-Americans. The reason this week in February was chosen, was because two notable figures, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, were born in February. Frederick Douglass was an enslaved person in the 1800s who actively fought for the freedom of enslaved people in addition to equal rights for women. As President of the United States at the time, Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in fighting for the freedom of all enslaved people across the United States. This, in turn, caused Woodson’s initial week-long event to turn into a month-long recognition of African-American accomplishments. This was officially titled Black Heritage Month in the United States in 1976 by president Gerald R. Ford who described Black Heritage Month as “seizing the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Soon after in 1979, Canada followed suit by establishing the Ontario Black History Society. The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS), which was created in 1978, included founders Dr. Daniel G. Hill and Wilson O. Brooks, who provided a petition to the City of Toronto to declare February as Black History Month. February officially became Black History Month in Toronto in 1979, and the first Black History Month was observed in 1988 in Nova Scotia.14 years after the first proclamation in Toronto, In 1993, the first Black Canadian woman elected to parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine, had the idea to have Black History Month recognized across Canada proposed to her by Rosemary Sadlier, president of the OBHS (Ontario Black History Society). In 1995 Dr. Augustine introduced a motion to the House of Commons, based off of the proposal by Rosemary Sadlier, to have February recognized as Black History Month across Canada. This motion was carried, which introduced Black History Month to all Canadians at a national level to celebrate the history and culture of Black Canadians.
You can celebrate Black History Month by participating in various events such as:
On Feb 10 at 5:30PM, there will be a celebration of Black History and Culture, hosted by the University of Winnipeg’s Student Association in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Students Manitoba: https://theuwsa.ca/bipoc-lounge/
Virtual Events:
On Feb 4 from 7-8PM Black History Manitoba will be hosting a trivia challenge about black athletes. For more information about this event, email bhmwinnipeg@gmail.com.
On Feb 15 at 7PM Join a panel discussion on the Scarborough Charter through Zoom with The University of Manitoba Black Alliance, featuring speakers Dr. Barrington Walker, Dr. Wisdom Tetty, Dr. Michael Benarroch, Naomi Andrew, Orinthia Babb and Valerie Williams: https://umanitoba.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XtNgJDsGSoOvF50W8CDaKg