Victoria joins Black History Month celebrations in Canada to honour and mark the contributions of Black Canadians and their culture and history.
The celebrations are led by the BC Black History Awareness Society, and this year, they have come up with a lineup of events throughout the month. These events are organized to highlight Black history in British Columbia and celebrate contemporary Black artists, musicians, and storytellers.
The organization’s focus is on celebrating the month with events designed to engage the community in different ways.
The celebrations begin with the annual Black History Month launch on Feb. 1 at the Victoria Open Space Arts Society at 6:30 p.m. This year’s launch includes music by Low Cream Tones and artwork by local Black artist Taja Olson. The event is free or by donation.
The lineup also includes a service that will be held at the Central Saanich United Church, formerly known as Shady Creek Church, presented by Karen Hoshal, a descendant of the Alexander Family.
The Alexanders were a 19th-century Black pioneer family who settled in Central Saanich in 1858. As early community builders, they are known for their help in establishing the Shady Creek Church. They now have over 400 documented descendants.
Added to the Black History Month Events is the History and Heritage Day that will be held at the Royal BC Museum, featuring booths hosted by community members and organizations. Attendees will be able to meet and talk with the direct descendants of Black Canadian pioneers about their stories and family histories.
“There will be lots of people to chat with. They will talk about a number of different important historical Black figures or times,” said Jamila Douhaibi, the executive director of the BC Black History Awareness Society.
Other events include the second annual Appreciation Tea on Feb. 14, which will be held at the Baumann Centre.
“It’s an afternoon to bring someone who’s a mentor or a parent or an elder, someone that you want to spend the afternoon appreciating,” Douhaibi said.
Music for the event will be provided by Louise Rose.
The Celebrate Music event follows on Feb. 15, featuring the band Ebony Roots, which is on an eight-city tour across the province. Ebony Roots is a concert celebration of African descent music, from prison and work songs, spirituals, iconic songs from the stage, to the emergence of Black soul, R&B, blues, and Motown.
Another event held hand in hand with the celebrations is the annual Ross Bay Cemetery tour, which explores the histories of more than 50 Black pioneers and their descendants buried at the site. The guided tour will be held at the Ross Bay Cemetery at 1495 Fairfield Rd. from 2-3 p.m.
The final event of the month is a keynote speaker evening on Feb. 27, focusing on authors, including Junie Desil, a Haitian Canadian poet. The event will be hosted by Wayde Compton, an assistant professor in writing at the University of Victoria.
According to Douhaibi, as much as the series of events strives to celebrate the Black Canadians who contributed in the past, it also focuses on the ones who are currently serving the communities in Greater Victoria.
“There are Black entrepreneurs who own businesses and restaurants that really contribute to Greater Victoria,” she said.
She revealed the upcoming opening of the Black Inhere Community Centre in downtown Victoria this spring as an important new space for the community.
Douhaibi said the celebrations continue to draw strong interest.
“Not just Black people, but the whole community is interested in these events. People want to come out and learn more about B.C.’s Black history and also just celebrate current Black artists and musicians.”
She added that even those who cannot attend an event are encouraged to engage with Black history in other ways.
“We really just want to encourage people to learn more about the history here and to celebrate all the amazing work that Black people are doing in our community.”
Fran Morrison, the secretary of the Black History Awareness Society in B.C., said that the Black community has been a part of the Canadian mosaic since 1600s.
She highlighted that those who attend this year’s Black History Month celebration events in Victoria will learn about their ancestors as well as current stories.
Morrison said that over 40 per cent of the Black population is under 25 years old. Therefore, the celebration is special because it serves a purpose beyond fostering knowledge, cultural awareness and inclusiveness.
“If you think about the theme for this year, it is honouring Black brilliance across the generations and to let young people know that they are our tomorrow’s visionaries.”
