Black History Month
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Since 1979, February has been known as Black History Month in Canada. Originating in Toronto, this season has been dedicated to honouring the often overlooked history of the Black peoples in North America.
Before the institution of Canada was established in 1867, it was called New France, a colony founded by French explorer Jacques Cartier in the 1500s, five hundred years after settlement had already begun in the land by the Norse. This land eventually expanded, covering most of modern-day Eastern Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario), portions of modern-day Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan), and the majority of what is today’s Midwest and South of the United States of America (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York).
Map of New France. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com.
During France’s reign over the land, the enslavement of Black people was implemented. Owning a Black slave was considered a sign of economic power and of high social standing. Even after the British succeeded in conquering much of New France in 1760, this slavery continued to be an integral part of colonial society. It was not until 1793 that legislation began considering the abolishment of Black enslavement with amendments such as the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada. Upon royal assent in the summer of that year, this act declared prohibition of the importation of new Black slaves and announced a date by which the Black slave trade legally had to cease operation. By 1818, Black individuals who grew up in what is now called Canada were no longer considered property, but human, and were, therefore, legally declared as and socially considered and generally treated as free. Of course, corruption exists in all nations, so it is no surprise that some persons rebelled against law and evolving culture and withheld their “right” to own slaves. As such, it was not until 1825 that the last recorded Black slave was freed in Canada.
Despite Black slavery ending on Canadian land, the enslavement of Black people was still very much alive in what is now considered the United States. Due to this difference, tens to hundreds of thousands of Black individuals fled from their slave owners in the American South to the North and Canada via a secret abolitionist system known as the Underground Railroad between the 1790s and 1865. It was this final year that the United States legally declared an end to their Black slave trade.
Unfortunately, however, due to a widespread disapproval of this declaration by American groups, the United States started to see a rise of white supremacist sentiment through anti-Black groups like the notorious Ku Klux Klan. As such, many racist groups formed and operated secretly, trafficking Black slaves in the United States until the early 20th century.
For the past 40 years, this dark history of North America has been publicly discussed in Canada in order to bring awareness to the despicable treatment of our Black brethren. It is shared in order to highlight non-Black privilege on the continent, attempting to ensure that with such consciousness racial equality will continue to exist in our nation and to see further improvement where it lacks. Canadian administration and public culture believe that it is paramount to not discredit the presence, suffering and triumphs of Black peoples both in Canada and in the world as a whole, so recognition of Black history and the Black community is widely encouraged in the country every February.
All across the country during the month of February, there are activities and events that Canadians are participating in and attending in order to support Black peoples:
intentionally learning more about Black history
attending formal presentations by Black community members who have made and continue to make an impact on Canadian society: soldiers, pilots, medical professionals, educators, businesspersons, engineers, government officials, researchers, etc.
supporting Black-owned businesses online, at local markets, or in the public commerce space
reading literature written by Black authors and about realistic Black experiences
positively engaging with Black creators: social media influencers, filmmakers, photographers, sculptors, painters, artists in general
attending local racial equality events
standing up for Black injustice
going to festivals featuring Black cultures around the world
making sure to do all of the above every month of the year, not just February
Does your country have an awareness season similar to Black History Month? What is it? Tell me about it in the comments below.
To learn about more Canadian holidays, including vocabulary related to these holidays, check out the Holidays link in the Tags section of our blog.