The House of Commons officially recognized in December of 1995 that Black History Month was to be celebrated each year from February 1 to 29. The purpose of Black History Month is to honour and recognize all the black people who have contributed to various causes both in Canada and around the world. There are also many events that happen because of Black History Month in Canada. Here are examples.
This event is happening on the 25th of February. This event ” highlights black lives and the over-representation of black folks in prison.” To put it simply, the event runners want to talk about how black people are being wrongfully portrayed and instead focus on all their incredible achievements.
This event is happening on the 28th of February. This event will bring all sorts of black artists, poets, musicians and many others together in order to ” highlight the importance of inclusion and diversity within the Arts.”
This is what Black History is all about.: the recognition of diversity, and the will to know that life for the Black community will get better and that they will grow strong time and time again.
Now that we have talked about some events, let’s talk about some black people who were really important figures and change-makers of their time.
Robert Abbott was someone who was born five years after the end of the Civil War. He was a son of slaves, and he grew up with a half-German stepfather. Ironically, all his life he was taught to hate racial injustice and encountered it from his early life to his time in a law school located in Chicago. He is the founder of a weekly newspaper called The Chicago Defender. This newspaper would eventually turn out to be the most important black newspaper in history. Without this contribution by Abbott, there would be no Essence, no Jet, no Black Enterprise and no The Source.
Shirley Chisholm was a pioneer. She was a Congresswoman for almost 50 years, even serving during the height of the civil rights movement. She was able to defend and fight the barriers that race and gender imposed on all black people at the time. She was also the very first black woman elected into the U.S. Congress.
Not all of those recognized during Black History Month should be Canadian. There are hundreds and thousands of black people who are still instituting change every today. We must never have any prejudice against any group of people, and must all remember to continue to learn about and respect each other.
