Black History Month festivity honours contributions of Black Canadians, past and present
To mark Black History Month and to highlight and pay homage to Black peoples’ contributions within Canada, one local group in Regina held their annual Black History Month Breakfast last weekend, which brings together the Black community for a day of celebrations.
The Saskatchewan Jamaican Association (SJA), the group that has been hosting the Black History Month Breakfast for the past four years, says the event brings awareness of the contributions of the Black Canadian community.
Maxine McKenzie-Cox, member of the Saskatchewan Jamaican Association (SJA) said the event makes the wider community more aware of the contributions of black people through a Canadian lens instead of an American one. “We’ve been hosting a celebration to recognize Black History Month for about 20 years. It is an important thing for us to celebrate because a lot of people are not aware of the contributions of black people to Canada and the impact we’ve made over the years. A lot of people are mostly aware of prominent figures in the United States and when we look at Black History Month, it is always through the lens of the Americans. So, we wanted to focus on Canadian Black History to stimulate this awareness where we live.”
She noted that Black history is a part of Canadian history. “Black history in Canada is also Canadian history so I think it is important that the broader Canadian community is aware and recognize that Blacks have been in Canada for years dating back to the 1700’s and have made tremendous contributions. We are part of the broader community. We are not just immigrants who come in as our own community. We are indeed part of the broader community. We participate and contribute in the community. So, it’s important to bring this awareness.” McKenzie-Cox also spoke about bridging cultural gaps with events like the Black History Month Breakfast. “Sometimes people are afraid of each other because of lack of awareness and knowledge about diverse cultures. When people don’t know each other, there are preconceived notions and stereotypes. Those stereotypes create conflict sometimes. So, I find when we get to know each other through these kinds of events, we find that we have more in common than we are different. So, this month brings together everyone in our community to bridge gaps and break down barriers. And we don’t just do this because it is Black History Month but everyday through different avenues in our communities.”
In addition to hosting the Black History Month Breakfast, the Association also disburses a scholarship to a student every year during the event. This year’s scholarship recipient is Adrian Cox who attends the University of Calgary. He is from Regina but moved away to study Engineering. “I’m thankful for the scholarship and grateful to know that I have people here to support me and are genuinely concerned about my future. It’s really nice to know that there’s a community of people that provides this kind of support.”
The Breakfast was again a success, as over 100 people of various cultural backgrounds came out to celebrate Black History Month. They enjoyed a variety of food and socializing with the extended community. For this year’s Black History Month, Caribbean cultural icon, Louise Bennett-Coverley, popularly known as Miss Lou was honored. Miss Lou was known for her creole-filled poems and storytelling. She was a cultural ambassador who was also recognized in Canada for shedding light on cultural diversity.
For 2019, the theme of the Government of Canada’s Black History Month campaign is Black Canadian Youth: Boundless, Rooted and Proud.