February is Black History Month, an opportunity to honour and celebrate the Black Canadians who, despite the many systemic barriers they continue to face, have contributed to Canada and the world. Throughout February, we celebrate the perseverance, ingenuity and innovation, the dedication, the resilience and forgiveness, creativity and diversity that is Black People in Canada.
To help celebrate Black History Month, we’ve rounded up some great resources—from Black-owned Metro Vancouver-businesses to support and films documenting the Black experience, to resources on Black history in Canada.
Black-Owned Businesses in Vancouver
Check out this Instagram post as well. Some notables:
- Healthy With Kelsey – Nutritionist, Trainer and Emotional Eating Recovery Coach
- Elbo Patties
- Taps & Tacos
- Hogans Alley Clothing
- Kali Boutique (clothing and home décor)
- Bounce Back Jewelry
- Batiqua Home Décor (Accessories and Social Impact)
Films, Documentaries and Books Documenting the Black Experience
- 13th
- When They See Us
- Fruitvale Station
- 12 Years A Slave
- Ma Rainery’s Black Bottom
- Lee Daniels’ The Butler
- I Am Not Your Negro
- Moonlight
- The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power – Desmond Cole
- The Book of Negroes – Lawrence Hill
- Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates
- The Hate You Give – Angie Thomas (also a film)
- Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson (also a film)
www.lib.sfu.ca/find/books-media/black-history-month
Black Organizations to Support Across Canada
Black Women Connect Vancouver - a collective of women who come together to inspire, empower, leverage our strengths and embrace our diverse experiences. It’s a community where we can build meaningful relationships, and celebrate the beauty of Black womanhood.
Black in BC Community Support for COVID-19 (Go Fund Me)
National Congress of Black Women Foundation - promotes and facilitates activities and programs that foster the advancement, recognition, health and education of female/female identifying people of African descent and their families.
AfroVanConnect - empowering the voices of African descent youth through conversation, collaboration, creation and performance.
Federation of Black Canadians – a national, non-profit collaboration of many organizations that work to advance the social, economic, political and cultural interests of Black Canadians
Black Health Alliance – a community-led organization that looks to improve the well-being of Black communities in Canada through system change, health promotion, research and public policy, healthy equity and fundraising.
Black History Resources
Biography Black History Month Collection – capturing the most gripping, surprising and fascinating stories about people, biography.com has a section on Black History, sharing some of the monumental people and events that have contributed to black history today.
The Canadian Encyclopedia Collection of Black History in Canada - a collection of activists, athletes, businesses, communities, events, places, politicians and more, the Canadian Encyclopedia has a “Black History in Canada” collection that shares one side of Canada’s history and black people.
BC Black History Awareness Society - formed in 1994, the BCBHAS celebrates the achievements of Black people in British Columbia by creating an awareness of the history of Blacks in B.C., stimulating interest in their contributions and celebrating both the historical and current achievements in the arts, education, government, sports, science etc.
Black Strathcona - stories about a Vancouver Neighbourhood that despite thriving for close to 60 years, was interrupted by the completion of the Georgia Viaduct in 1971. This caused much of the black community in Vancouver to be displaced, homes demolished, businesses shut down.
This is the second in a series of posts on celebrating Black History Month 2021.
Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash
