Every February, we celebrate Black History Month in Canada to recognize the historic Black Canadians that have contributed to the history of our country. It is a month of reflection where we can learn from the stories, experiences, and achievements of Black Canadians (Yarhi). From Mathieu Da Costa, the first Black person to arrive in Canada, to the many inspiring Black figures that continue to change the world, the contributions of Black Canadians will continue to be celebrated during the month of February for generations to come.
Mathieu Da Costa is considered to be the first person of African descent to visit Canada. He was an interpreter for French and Dutch traders.
This image is courtesy of Andrew Perro and Ron Dollekamp, Canada Post 2017
Written by Brian Li
The idea of Black History Month first developed in the United States as they began to realize the importance of recognizing individuals of African descent in North America. Carter G. Woodson, an African American historian, proposed the idea for a week in recognition of Black North Americans in 1926 (Yarhi). It was only in 1976 that the United States of America recognized February as Black History Month (Yarhi). The tradition spread up north to Canada in 1979 as the Ontario Black History Society initiated a petition to have the city of Toronto recognize February as Black History Month as well (“About Black History Month”). The petition was later brought up to the provincial parliament in 1993 to see February as Black History Month all across Ontario; the observance would later be nationally celebrated throughout Canada in 1996 (“About Black History Month”). More advancements were made in 2008 when Donald Oliver, the first Black male Senator of Canada, recommended that the Senate also recognize February as Black History Month—a motion that would gain the support of the entire Senate (“About Black History Month”).
In honour of Black History Month, here are some prominent figures in Canadian history and their contributions to our country:
Viola Desmond:
Currently on the vertical $10 bill, Viola Desmond is known for her stand against discrimination and racism. She was arrested for not sitting in the balcony of a movie theatre that was reserved for Black people and instead choosing to sit on the ground floor that was reserved for white people. The case was eventually brought to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and resulted in the conviction of the theatre for their discrimination (“Noteworthy historical figures”).
Jean Augustine:
Jean Augustine was the first Black woman that served as a member of Parliament. She was elected in 1993 and was the leading voice in proposing the idea of nationally recognizing February as Black History Month. She was also the first Black woman to serve in Cabinet and acted as Secretary of State that oversaw multiculturalism and Status of Women (Yarhi).
Donovan Bailey:
Famously known as “The World’s Fastest Man”, Donovan Bailey brought pride to Canadians for his multiple achievements in his professional running career. In 1996, he set the world record for the fastest 100m sprint of 9.84 seconds during the Olympics (Freeborn).
Works Cited
“About Black History Month.” Canada.ca, Government of Canada, 1 Feb. 2021, www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/about.html.
Freeborn, Jeremy. “Donovan Bailey.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, The Canadian Encyclopedia, 24 Mar. 2017, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/donovan-bailey.
“Noteworthy Historical Figures.” Canada.ca, Government of Canada, 1 Feb. 2021, www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/black-canadians.html.
Yarhi, Eli. “Black History Month in Canada.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, The Canadian Encyclopedia, 13 Feb. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/black-history-month-in-canada.
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