Black & Cultural Events
- Afro Toronto
- Black AF In STEM
- Black Business London
- Black Canada - Canada's Coolest Culture Site
- Black Foundation of Community Networks - serves & supports local Black communities
- Black Then Discovering Our History
- Black Theatre Workshop
- Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society Month
- Jamaican Canadian Association
- Missing Pages
- National Black History Month Expo
- Ontario Heritage Trust
- Ontario Black History Society
- Toronto Black Film Festival
- Toronto, Ontario Black Events
- Tubman Tours Canada
Black History Tours
Anti-Black Racism
Black History and Anti-Racism Resources
"For too long Blacks have been left behind by the diversity movement in Canada. The BlackNorth Initiative was created by The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism to combat anti-Black systemic racism in Corporate Canada. The Initiative challenges senior Canadian business leaders to sign a CEO Pledge committing their companies to specific actions and targets designed to end anti-Black systemic racism and create opportunities for all of those in the underrepresented BIPOC community." (From Black North website)
New initiatives aim to help Black Canadians get a better foothold in the economy
REGISTER FOR A FREE APPLICABLE, TRANSFORMATIONAL LUNCH & LEARN ABOUT INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP.
"More and more educators now recognize the importance of actively building a sense of belonging for all their students and incorporating the histories, perspectives, and lived realities of communities of color into their classrooms. Many are just beginning to embark on a journey toward antibias and antiracist practice. Yet, in the current political moment, they face incredible challenges from lobbying to legislation aiming to stifle their abilities to teach complete, unbiased history; to attend to children’s social and emotional development; and to engage in honest conversations about race, racism, and human difference with their students.
Let’s join together to figure out where we’ve been, where we are now, and how to get where we want to go. What did the landscape of racial learning in schools look like leading up to this moment? What foundational lessons about race are children are learning in school? What big drivers shape how and what children learn about race in school? How can we empower all children and adults by incorporating developmentally appropriate, healthy teaching and learning about race in our schools?" (From Embrace Race website)
Let’s join together to figure out where we’ve been, where we are now, and how to get where we want to go. What did the landscape of racial learning in schools look like leading up to this moment? What foundational lessons about race are children are learning in school? What big drivers shape how and what children learn about race in school? How can we empower all children and adults by incorporating developmentally appropriate, healthy teaching and learning about race in our schools?" (From Embrace Race website)
Drawing Differences Inspired Art Exhibit Opening!
The Mead Art Museum and EmbraceRace are thrilled to invite you to an opening celebration for the exhibition Re/Presenting: Art Beyond the Color Line. The exhibit will be open to the public through July 6, 2025. |
"This month, we're thrilled to introduce our Toolkit for Raising Asian American children! With your support, it will be just the first of our race and ethnicity-based toolkits designed to bolster kids' healthy racial identity development. Plus, don't miss the highlights from the first National Convening for Children's Racial Learning! (EmbraceRace | Talking Race & Kids)
Toolkit: Raising Asian American Children
Dive in!
"This toolkit offers resources for both caregivers and kids—downloads, videos, comics and activities on themes like cultural pride, navigating racism, and building cross-racial solidarity. Explore and see what speaks to you!"
Dive in!
"This toolkit offers resources for both caregivers and kids—downloads, videos, comics and activities on themes like cultural pride, navigating racism, and building cross-racial solidarity. Explore and see what speaks to you!"
Call for Artists
"We are thrilled to announce the second annual Emancipation Day Poetry Contest presented by @londonblackheritagecouncil. This year's theme is "Remembering Black Londoners Past & Present."
What is Emancipation Day? Slavery was abolished throughout the British colonies with the passing of the Slavery Abolition Act on August 1, 1833. Since 1834, Emancipation Day celebrations occurred in Ontario and Quebec then in communities throughout the rest of Canada in 1846 and 1858. This year’s Emancipation Day Celebration will take place on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at Fanshawe Pioneer Village @fanshawepioneervillage in partnership with The London Black Heritage Council & W.E.A.N. Community Centre @w.e.a.ncommunitycentre
Contest information:
THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO:
-New and aspiring Black writers and writers of colour
-Residents of London, ON
CONTEST ENTRIES MUST BE:
-One poem, any style, on the theme of 'Remembering Black Londoners Past & Present'
-No more than 40 lines
-Original, unpublished work (no AI entries allowed)
HOW TO SUBMIT:
-This contest is FREE to enter
-Send poems in .doc or .pdf format to [email protected]
-Please include your name, contact information and the title of your poem in the body of your email
-Please do NOT put your name in your actual poem submission as poems will be presented to judges anonymously
ONCE YOU SUBMIT:
-All writers will be contacted about their submissions
-Three winners will be chosen: 1st prize $100 | 2nd prize $75 | 3rd prize $50
-All three winners will 1) be invited to read their winning poems at this year's Emancipation Day Celebration, 2) have their entries published on the Antler River Poetry website, and 3) be considered for future performance opportunities with London Black Heritage Council, Spoken Culture & Antler River Poetry
This contest is made possible through community partnership. London Black Heritage Council launched it last year in collaboration with @spoken_culture & @antlerriverpoetry. Many thanks to Fanshawe Pioneer Village & The Hamilton Road BIA @hamroadbia for coming on board this year with generous sponsorship support! It's fantastic to see this contest not only recurring, but growing."
What is Emancipation Day? Slavery was abolished throughout the British colonies with the passing of the Slavery Abolition Act on August 1, 1833. Since 1834, Emancipation Day celebrations occurred in Ontario and Quebec then in communities throughout the rest of Canada in 1846 and 1858. This year’s Emancipation Day Celebration will take place on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at Fanshawe Pioneer Village @fanshawepioneervillage in partnership with The London Black Heritage Council & W.E.A.N. Community Centre @w.e.a.ncommunitycentre
Contest information:
THIS CONTEST IS OPEN TO:
-New and aspiring Black writers and writers of colour
-Residents of London, ON
CONTEST ENTRIES MUST BE:
-One poem, any style, on the theme of 'Remembering Black Londoners Past & Present'
-No more than 40 lines
-Original, unpublished work (no AI entries allowed)
HOW TO SUBMIT:
-This contest is FREE to enter
-Send poems in .doc or .pdf format to [email protected]
-Please include your name, contact information and the title of your poem in the body of your email
-Please do NOT put your name in your actual poem submission as poems will be presented to judges anonymously
ONCE YOU SUBMIT:
-All writers will be contacted about their submissions
-Three winners will be chosen: 1st prize $100 | 2nd prize $75 | 3rd prize $50
-All three winners will 1) be invited to read their winning poems at this year's Emancipation Day Celebration, 2) have their entries published on the Antler River Poetry website, and 3) be considered for future performance opportunities with London Black Heritage Council, Spoken Culture & Antler River Poetry
This contest is made possible through community partnership. London Black Heritage Council launched it last year in collaboration with @spoken_culture & @antlerriverpoetry. Many thanks to Fanshawe Pioneer Village & The Hamilton Road BIA @hamroadbia for coming on board this year with generous sponsorship support! It's fantastic to see this contest not only recurring, but growing."
Woodland Cultural Centre is pleased to announce the Call for Submissions for
Indigenous Art 2025: 50th Annual Juried Exhibition
"Established in 1975, this is the longest running multi-media exhibition that provide artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work in a fine art gallery setting. The invitation is open to all emerging, mid-career and established artists (18+ years of age) of Indigenous ancestry.
Artists may submit up to three works of art. All media will be accepted and works must be original and completed within the last two years. WCC’s Guest Curator, Alex Jacobs-Blum, will adjudicate the submissions with a group of selected jurors. There is no entry fee per submission. Artists are given an honorarium and one copy of the exhibition catalogue.
Important Dates [SUBJECT TO CHANGES]
Download the Call for Submission form for more details on how to submit. Digital submissions are accepted until Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Click here to download submission form
Indigenous Art 2025: 50th Annual Juried Exhibition
"Established in 1975, this is the longest running multi-media exhibition that provide artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work in a fine art gallery setting. The invitation is open to all emerging, mid-career and established artists (18+ years of age) of Indigenous ancestry.
Artists may submit up to three works of art. All media will be accepted and works must be original and completed within the last two years. WCC’s Guest Curator, Alex Jacobs-Blum, will adjudicate the submissions with a group of selected jurors. There is no entry fee per submission. Artists are given an honorarium and one copy of the exhibition catalogue.
Important Dates [SUBJECT TO CHANGES]
- Deadline for entry is Saturday, May 10th, 2025
- Notification for selected artwork will be sent by email by Friday, May 16th 2025
- Delivery of works must be received by Saturday, June 7th, 2025
- Exhibition dates from Saturday, June 21 to Tuesday, September 30, 2025
- Director’s Preview & Opening Reception Friday, June 20th @ 6:00pm
- Pick-up of works begins week of Monday, October 6 to Saturday, December 20, 2025.
- Painting in any media (indicate oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media etc.)
- New media (indicate computer animation, video art, etc.)
- Drawings and prints including photographic in any media (indicate graphite, ink, coloured pencil, digital or silver photographic print etc.)
- Sculpture in any media (indicate ceramic, wood, stone, metal, bone etc.)
- Installation (include plans, images, technical requirements and AV equipment)
- Traditionally based works (indicate glass bead, quill, leather etc.)
Download the Call for Submission form for more details on how to submit. Digital submissions are accepted until Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Click here to download submission form
Concerts
"To kick off Indigenous History Month, DWF and our partners at Canada’s Music Incubator and Sankofa Square will be presenting an Indigenous music and arts festival at Sankofa Square in downtown Toronto on May 30 & 31, 2025! This FREE two-day event will include incredible performances, workshops, and an artisan market, along with historical and cultural presentations by Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and creators.
In a small ceremony with Elder Blu Waters, who was born in Toronto and whose family comes from George Gordon First Nation, Saskatchewan, the festival was gifted the name “Coming Together in a Good Way.” Through consultation with the Wenjack Family, the Anishinaabemowin name Kamamooshkaming (meaning ‘coming together’) Sagiiwehwining (meaning ‘in a good way’) was confirmed, symbolizing the festival’s commitment to coming together in a good way through music and art."
ARTIST LINE UPSNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS ⧫ AYSANABEETIA WOOD ⧫ SEBASTIAN GASKIN
DRIVES THE COMMON MAN
JULIAN TAYLOR ⧫ SHAWNEE KISH
REUBEN AND THE BULLHORN SINGERS
THEA MAY ⧫ DJ CLASSIC ROOTS
NOELLE ⧫ ILA BARKER
WITH HOST THELAND KICKNOSWAY
LEARN MORE
In a small ceremony with Elder Blu Waters, who was born in Toronto and whose family comes from George Gordon First Nation, Saskatchewan, the festival was gifted the name “Coming Together in a Good Way.” Through consultation with the Wenjack Family, the Anishinaabemowin name Kamamooshkaming (meaning ‘coming together’) Sagiiwehwining (meaning ‘in a good way’) was confirmed, symbolizing the festival’s commitment to coming together in a good way through music and art."
ARTIST LINE UPSNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS ⧫ AYSANABEETIA WOOD ⧫ SEBASTIAN GASKIN
DRIVES THE COMMON MAN
JULIAN TAYLOR ⧫ SHAWNEE KISH
REUBEN AND THE BULLHORN SINGERS
THEA MAY ⧫ DJ CLASSIC ROOTS
NOELLE ⧫ ILA BARKER
WITH HOST THELAND KICKNOSWAY
LEARN MORE
Jazz for the People:
Brazilian Jazz Sextet "This series of free Jazz concerts at the Wolf Performance Hall features local musicians and guest artists playing a wide range of Jazz styles. Sandy MacKay is the music director." June 25, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm Jazz for the People: Mike Fagan + Rick McClelland August 27, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm Jazz for the People: Theresa Wallis with Larry Ernewein + Martin Tot Group October 22, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm |
Jazz for the People:
Larry Smith Group July 23, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm Jazz for the People: Joe Policastro Trio September 24, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 p.m. Jazz for the People: Charles Rallo Trio November 26, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm Jazz for the People December 17, 2025 7 pm - 8:45 pm |
Mavis Staples at the Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge Street Toronto, ON, for one night only!
Monday, June 23, 2025, at 8 p.m.
"The Toronto Jazz Festival is honoured to present legendary vocalist Mavis Staples. Hailed by National Public Radio as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace,” Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate."
Buy your tickets today!
Buy your tickets today!
Conferences
Canada Leadership Summit & Nation Builders Award Gala 2025
Oct 3 - 5th 2025 @ Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suite
Oct 3 - 5th 2025 @ Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suite
Cultural Events
Public Virtual Tour of Former Mohawk Institute Residential School
Wednesday May 28, 2025
"Participants will learn about the history of the Hodinohsho:ni, history of wampum belts and the treaty process, and how this effects land claims today.
This is the first time we are offering this virtual session to the public! Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of this important discussion centering on the topic of land claims. Make sure to take this crucial step towards Truth and Reconciliation with the Woodland Cultural Centre!
Cost: $10 donation to the education department at the Woodland Cultural Centre"
BOOK NOW
Wednesday May 28, 2025
"Participants will learn about the history of the Hodinohsho:ni, history of wampum belts and the treaty process, and how this effects land claims today.
This is the first time we are offering this virtual session to the public! Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of this important discussion centering on the topic of land claims. Make sure to take this crucial step towards Truth and Reconciliation with the Woodland Cultural Centre!
Cost: $10 donation to the education department at the Woodland Cultural Centre"
BOOK NOW
June 18, 2025 – Public Virtual Screening of Silent No More"The Woodland Cultural Centre presents a screening of Silent No More: A Virtual Tour of the Former Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School on Wednesday June 18 at 6:00pm.
The former Mohawk Institute Residential School (Mush Hole) was the longest operating residential school in Canada. A building created to destroy Indigenous identity and heritage is now the home of the Woodland Cultural Centre, a site dedicated to the revitalization of Hodinohsho:ni cultures and languages.
“Residential School is the only school you’re considered a survivor and not a graduate.” Beau Miller, 2022 (Mohawk Institute Survivor)
Thank you to our film production team, Achimowin Films, and to the generous funders of the Educational Enhancement Project, Inspirit, Brant Community Foundation, McLean Foundation, The Slaight Family Foundation, CIBC Foundation, and TD Bank Foundation.
Your donation will help support our education department to create and deliver virtual programming at the Woodland Cultural Centre. We want to continue to deliver the highest quality programs centered on a Hodinohsho:ni worldview, celebrating, and sharing Indigenous cultures, languages, and art. Please join us in bearing witness to the experiences of residential school survivors through the new virtual tour of the former Mohawk Institute.
This Film is rated PG-13, parents strongly cautioned. Some material may not be suited for children under age 13 (verbal descriptions of violence and sexual assault towards children).
Cost: $10 donation to the education department
Book Now
The former Mohawk Institute Residential School (Mush Hole) was the longest operating residential school in Canada. A building created to destroy Indigenous identity and heritage is now the home of the Woodland Cultural Centre, a site dedicated to the revitalization of Hodinohsho:ni cultures and languages.
“Residential School is the only school you’re considered a survivor and not a graduate.” Beau Miller, 2022 (Mohawk Institute Survivor)
Thank you to our film production team, Achimowin Films, and to the generous funders of the Educational Enhancement Project, Inspirit, Brant Community Foundation, McLean Foundation, The Slaight Family Foundation, CIBC Foundation, and TD Bank Foundation.
Your donation will help support our education department to create and deliver virtual programming at the Woodland Cultural Centre. We want to continue to deliver the highest quality programs centered on a Hodinohsho:ni worldview, celebrating, and sharing Indigenous cultures, languages, and art. Please join us in bearing witness to the experiences of residential school survivors through the new virtual tour of the former Mohawk Institute.
This Film is rated PG-13, parents strongly cautioned. Some material may not be suited for children under age 13 (verbal descriptions of violence and sexual assault towards children).
Cost: $10 donation to the education department
Book Now
Listen to the IHM 2022 Playlist!
"We’ve put together a playlist with some of our favourite Indigenous songs and performers, some of which will be featured in our Indigenous History Month programming! Give it a listen and subscribe to our playlist today!" (From Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund e-newsletter)
Museum London, 421 Ridout Street North London, ON
Summer Launch Party
Thursday, June 5, 7 to 10 PM
Pay-what-you-can at the door
"Join us at our upcoming Summer Launch Party to explore all three floors of the Museum, meet featured artists, designers and curators, and get creative with hands-on activities led by ML's Youth Council. Culinary Catering and Yaya's Kitchen will be serving up refreshments and sweet treats throughout the evening, and DJ Wickham and musician Willy Aristide will both perform sets. You won’t want to miss it!
We’ve got an exciting line up of new and noteworthy exhibitions and installations:
Bob Bozak: Realignment features a series of striking text-based works from Museum London’s art collection that reimagine popular ideas of personal success, challenging car culture myths of status, power, and freedom.
Fashion: Grit, Glamour and Guts is an expansive exhibition where artwork, compelling garments, historical artifacts and powerful community contributions come together to reveal how our clothing tells stories about who we are.
David Constantino Salazar: Forever (Bird-Botanicals) is a site-specific installation that questions the symbol of the bird in contemporary culture and global folklore to speak to themes of transformation, freedom, divinity and loss.
Mark Stebbins: Supersampler is a solo exhibition by the London-based artist who, through manipulations of colour, texture, and glitch effects, addresses issues of time, memory, labour, and originality in his work.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary year at Museum London, Ron Benner: As the Crow Flies is an outdoor installation by the London-based artist, writer, and gardener. Installed on the western side of the Museum overlooking the Deshkan Ziibi/Thames River, Benner’s work consists of a reflecting pool surrounded by a rich assortment of plant life, which the artist has cultivated for regeneration every year since 2005."
RSVP HERE
Summer Launch Party
Thursday, June 5, 7 to 10 PM
Pay-what-you-can at the door
"Join us at our upcoming Summer Launch Party to explore all three floors of the Museum, meet featured artists, designers and curators, and get creative with hands-on activities led by ML's Youth Council. Culinary Catering and Yaya's Kitchen will be serving up refreshments and sweet treats throughout the evening, and DJ Wickham and musician Willy Aristide will both perform sets. You won’t want to miss it!
We’ve got an exciting line up of new and noteworthy exhibitions and installations:
Bob Bozak: Realignment features a series of striking text-based works from Museum London’s art collection that reimagine popular ideas of personal success, challenging car culture myths of status, power, and freedom.
Fashion: Grit, Glamour and Guts is an expansive exhibition where artwork, compelling garments, historical artifacts and powerful community contributions come together to reveal how our clothing tells stories about who we are.
David Constantino Salazar: Forever (Bird-Botanicals) is a site-specific installation that questions the symbol of the bird in contemporary culture and global folklore to speak to themes of transformation, freedom, divinity and loss.
Mark Stebbins: Supersampler is a solo exhibition by the London-based artist who, through manipulations of colour, texture, and glitch effects, addresses issues of time, memory, labour, and originality in his work.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary year at Museum London, Ron Benner: As the Crow Flies is an outdoor installation by the London-based artist, writer, and gardener. Installed on the western side of the Museum overlooking the Deshkan Ziibi/Thames River, Benner’s work consists of a reflecting pool surrounded by a rich assortment of plant life, which the artist has cultivated for regeneration every year since 2005."
RSVP HERE
The Well, 486 Front Street, Toronto, ON,
Jun 22 2025
6:30 PM - 11:00 PM
The Vanguard 2025
"Get ready for a night where fashion time-travels. The Vanguard returns to The Well on June 22, 2025, unveiling its daring new theme: Avant-Garde Vintage.
This immersive experience reimagines iconic style eras—Victorian refinement, Roaring Twenties glamour, and the structured elegance of the 1950s—through a boldly futuristic lens.
At The Vanguard, you are the spectacle. Dress to impress and command the famed carpet in your most imaginative, era-bending look. Your ticket includes an electrifying fashion show, live music, DJ sets, interactive experiences, signature drinks, and more.
Step into the spotlight and be part of a fashion revolution where history meets haute couture."
Get your tickets nowClick to book ticketsJune 22 2025
"Get ready for a night where fashion time-travels. The Vanguard returns to The Well on June 22, 2025, unveiling its daring new theme: Avant-Garde Vintage.
This immersive experience reimagines iconic style eras—Victorian refinement, Roaring Twenties glamour, and the structured elegance of the 1950s—through a boldly futuristic lens.
At The Vanguard, you are the spectacle. Dress to impress and command the famed carpet in your most imaginative, era-bending look. Your ticket includes an electrifying fashion show, live music, DJ sets, interactive experiences, signature drinks, and more.
Step into the spotlight and be part of a fashion revolution where history meets haute couture."
Get your tickets nowClick to book ticketsJune 22 2025
"Caribbean Vibrations TV, Canada's longest-running Caribbean television series, is hosting its inaugural Caribbean Vibrations Festival from July 11 to 13, 2025!
Filled with music, cuisine, revelry, comedy, education and information from the Caribbean diaspora, CV FEST is a celebration of expats, nationals, and all those who love and travel to the Caribbean each day of the year!
The Caribbean Vibrations Festival celebrates the best that the Caribbean community has to offer! And there's no better place to host CV FEST than Harbourfront Centre in Downtown Toronto, the mecca of the Caribbean diaspora in Canada for over 3 decades!
For 3 days we will embrace Caribbean culture with over 50 vendors and sponsors in a marketplace representing 27 islands in the Caribbean region."
Click here to get involved with the 2025 Caribbean Vibrations Festival
Filled with music, cuisine, revelry, comedy, education and information from the Caribbean diaspora, CV FEST is a celebration of expats, nationals, and all those who love and travel to the Caribbean each day of the year!
The Caribbean Vibrations Festival celebrates the best that the Caribbean community has to offer! And there's no better place to host CV FEST than Harbourfront Centre in Downtown Toronto, the mecca of the Caribbean diaspora in Canada for over 3 decades!
For 3 days we will embrace Caribbean culture with over 50 vendors and sponsors in a marketplace representing 27 islands in the Caribbean region."
Click here to get involved with the 2025 Caribbean Vibrations Festival
Employment Opportunities
Fanshawe Pioneer Village Employment Opportunities
"The London and Middlesex Heritage Museum, owns and operates the living history site known as Fanshawe Pioneer Village. The museum tells the many stories of the people that lived in what is now known as London, and its surrounding rural communities from 1820-1920. It does so by using heritage demonstrations, activities, and historical interpretation of its over 30 heritage structures, including the recently re-located and restored African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church."
Core Interpreter (Heritage Trades)- Seasonal Position, Applications Due April 10, 2025
Black Histories Program Developer -Contract Position, 33 weeks through Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage, Applications Due April 16th, 2025
How to Apply: Interested candidates are requested to apply online at: https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/ *Only Candidates who have applied through the Young Canada Works Website will be considered. Deadline to Apply: 5pm – Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Organizational Contact Information; Dawn Miskelly, Executive Director London & Middlesex Heritage Museum - Fanshawe Pioneer Village E-mail: [email protected] www.fanshawepioneervillage.ca 2609 Fanshawe Park Road East, London, Ontario N5X 4A1
"The London and Middlesex Heritage Museum, owns and operates the living history site known as Fanshawe Pioneer Village. The museum tells the many stories of the people that lived in what is now known as London, and its surrounding rural communities from 1820-1920. It does so by using heritage demonstrations, activities, and historical interpretation of its over 30 heritage structures, including the recently re-located and restored African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church."
Core Interpreter (Heritage Trades)- Seasonal Position, Applications Due April 10, 2025
Black Histories Program Developer -Contract Position, 33 weeks through Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage, Applications Due April 16th, 2025
How to Apply: Interested candidates are requested to apply online at: https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/ *Only Candidates who have applied through the Young Canada Works Website will be considered. Deadline to Apply: 5pm – Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Organizational Contact Information; Dawn Miskelly, Executive Director London & Middlesex Heritage Museum - Fanshawe Pioneer Village E-mail: [email protected] www.fanshawepioneervillage.ca 2609 Fanshawe Park Road East, London, Ontario N5X 4A1
Visit the job board at The Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) exists to Elevate, make Visible, Celebrate and Connect Black Canadians in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine (STEMM) across sectors.
Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) is hiring!
If you are committed to culturally responsive care and community empowerment, apply by April 4, 2025.
For full details and to apply, visit https://lnkd.in/e7qRTb6h
For full details and to apply, visit https://lnkd.in/e7qRTb6h
Fundraiser
"Your participation in UP with ART helps open doors for youth, adults and seniors struggling to escape homelessness and keeps the doors of history, art and culture open to everyone.
Join us May 1 to 10 for a spirited silent auction exhibition featuring 45+ incredible artworks by renowned, emerging, and Unity Project participant artists, as well as historical and contemporary works donated by collectors, plus intriguing items and experiences donated from the heart of local businesses. Then, on Saturday, May 10, meet us at the Museum to enjoy delicious treats and drinks, creative activities, and live performances by local artists, at the always electric arty-party!
Bid online beginning May 1 at 7 PM EST
View the exhibit at the Museum May 2 - May 9
Attend the arty-party at Museum London May 10, 7 - 11 PM *Auction Close @ 9:30 PM
Early Bird Ticket $60 great value for money, on sale March 20 - April 17
Supporter Ticket $75 includes $15 charitable tax receipt, available April 18 -
Super Supporter $160 give extra love and get a tax receipt for $100 Any Day Any Time"
Purchase Tickets for Up With Art
Join us May 1 to 10 for a spirited silent auction exhibition featuring 45+ incredible artworks by renowned, emerging, and Unity Project participant artists, as well as historical and contemporary works donated by collectors, plus intriguing items and experiences donated from the heart of local businesses. Then, on Saturday, May 10, meet us at the Museum to enjoy delicious treats and drinks, creative activities, and live performances by local artists, at the always electric arty-party!
Bid online beginning May 1 at 7 PM EST
View the exhibit at the Museum May 2 - May 9
Attend the arty-party at Museum London May 10, 7 - 11 PM *Auction Close @ 9:30 PM
Early Bird Ticket $60 great value for money, on sale March 20 - April 17
Supporter Ticket $75 includes $15 charitable tax receipt, available April 18 -
Super Supporter $160 give extra love and get a tax receipt for $100 Any Day Any Time"
Purchase Tickets for Up With Art
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/db3b967c
"The Hamilton Road BIA, in collaboration with the London Black History Coordinating Committee, the Hamilton Road Community Association – Hidden History of Hamilton Road, and the London Majors Alumni Association and W.E.A.N. Community, have collaborated to create the BHF - Tree Sculpture Project, in celebration of Black History Month. We are honouring the contributions of Black Canadians, by creating a permanent tribute—a beautifully hand crafted tree sculpture to help share and preserve their legacy."
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The sculpture will showcase:
James F. Jenkins, founder of The Dawn of Tomorrow, London’s first Black newspaper, first published in 1923, and wife Christine Jenkins, who continued publishing the paper after his death in 1931 until her death in 1967.
Detective Sergeant Lewis Coray, London’s first Black police officer in 1951, who broke racial barriers in law enforcement.
Stan "Gabby" Anderson, an influential figure in London’s baseball culture during the mid-20th century.
This sculpture will serve not only as an enduring piece of public art but also as a powerful symbol of the rich heritage and significant achievements of Black Canadians, both locally and nationally. It will be installed as part of the Hamilton Road Historical Tree Trunk Tour in London, Ontario, a tour known for its deep community roots and cherished landmarks.
We would be honoured
if you would consider sponsoring this initiative. Your contribution will directly support the sculpture.
Thank you for considering our request.
Hamilton Road BIA is organizing this fundraiser."
Donate here:
James F. Jenkins, founder of The Dawn of Tomorrow, London’s first Black newspaper, first published in 1923, and wife Christine Jenkins, who continued publishing the paper after his death in 1931 until her death in 1967.
Detective Sergeant Lewis Coray, London’s first Black police officer in 1951, who broke racial barriers in law enforcement.
Stan "Gabby" Anderson, an influential figure in London’s baseball culture during the mid-20th century.
This sculpture will serve not only as an enduring piece of public art but also as a powerful symbol of the rich heritage and significant achievements of Black Canadians, both locally and nationally. It will be installed as part of the Hamilton Road Historical Tree Trunk Tour in London, Ontario, a tour known for its deep community roots and cherished landmarks.
We would be honoured
if you would consider sponsoring this initiative. Your contribution will directly support the sculpture.
Thank you for considering our request.
Hamilton Road BIA is organizing this fundraiser."
Donate here:
Grants
Apply and beat the deadline! Get your application in for a chance to win one of the 2025 Black Education Fund Scholarships. Applications due by 11:59 PM, May 31st! https://lnkd.in/giNBEp3p
Veterans Affairs Canada
Have you heard of No. 2 Construction Battalion? It was the largest Black military unit in Canadian history, with approximately 800 personnel during the hashtag#FirstWorldWar.
Minister Petitpas Taylor announced a new call out to organizations working to commemorate its legacy.
This dedicated funding is for organizations and projects honouring No. 2 Construction Battalion, its members and its descendants, based on the recommendations set out in the National Apology Advisory Committee Report.
For more details and how to apply, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website : https://ow.ly/Otqu50U2JVP
Have you heard of No. 2 Construction Battalion? It was the largest Black military unit in Canadian history, with approximately 800 personnel during the hashtag#FirstWorldWar.
Minister Petitpas Taylor announced a new call out to organizations working to commemorate its legacy.
This dedicated funding is for organizations and projects honouring No. 2 Construction Battalion, its members and its descendants, based on the recommendations set out in the National Apology Advisory Committee Report.
For more details and how to apply, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website : https://ow.ly/Otqu50U2JVP
Reconciliation Action Grant applications are open! Submit your application by March 13, 2025, to be considered for the next round of funding. Apply today!
Health
RSVP here: https://forms.gle/sqbJboEEtgnsFZ1v5
This is an opportunity to share your voice, connect with others, and contribute to building a more just healthcare system. Let’s work together to create real change!
This is an opportunity to share your voice, connect with others, and contribute to building a more just healthcare system. Let’s work together to create real change!
We’re excited to invite you, your organization, and your loved ones to the 6th Annual Type Diabeat It 5K Run & Walk, taking place on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Springbank Park. This year’s theme says it all:
“Strong Steps, Stronger Communities – Wetu, Afya Yetu (Our People, Our Health)”
This isn’t just a run—it’s a call to move as a community toward healing, wellness, and justice. Whether you start a team, join a team, or just show up with your family, your presence matters.
At Type Diabeat It, we recognize that type 2 diabetes is more than a medical issue. It’s connected to food insecurity, poverty, culture, and access. The statistics are hard to ignore:
We’ve grown culturally significant food on donated land, provided food boxes and hot meals to over 500 families, and created programs that teach youth and elders how to eat—and live—well, with culture at the center.
Here’s how you can support:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/type-diabeat-it/p2p/5K2025/
“Strong Steps, Stronger Communities – Wetu, Afya Yetu (Our People, Our Health)”
This isn’t just a run—it’s a call to move as a community toward healing, wellness, and justice. Whether you start a team, join a team, or just show up with your family, your presence matters.
At Type Diabeat It, we recognize that type 2 diabetes is more than a medical issue. It’s connected to food insecurity, poverty, culture, and access. The statistics are hard to ignore:
- Black Canadians are 8% more likely than white Canadians to develop type 2 diabetes
- 38% of Black households experience food insecurity—nearly three times the national average
- 46% of Black children live in food-insecure homes
- And food-insecure households are 50% more likely to develop diabetes
We’ve grown culturally significant food on donated land, provided food boxes and hot meals to over 500 families, and created programs that teach youth and elders how to eat—and live—well, with culture at the center.
Here’s how you can support:
- Start or join a team on our CanadaHelps page
- Share the flyer with your network: friends, church, WhatsApp groups, staff
- Show up with your family or organization on September 6
- Be part of a movement that’s as joyful as it is necessary
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/type-diabeat-it/p2p/5K2025/
WeBridge Community Services
Rotary Square
3:00 - 6:00 pm
Rotary Square
3:00 - 6:00 pm
"WeBridge is a non-profit organization that provides a rich cultural exchange with the African-Caribbean community of London.
Stop by their information table on the last Wednesday of each month outside on the Rotary Square 3 p.m. to 6.p.m.! If you are 55 and over, once you sign up to become a participant or volunteer, you will receive a free bag of fresh Organic produce!
Please register
Stop by their information table on the last Wednesday of each month outside on the Rotary Square 3 p.m. to 6.p.m.! If you are 55 and over, once you sign up to become a participant or volunteer, you will receive a free bag of fresh Organic produce!
Please register
- by emailing [email protected]
- by calling 226-242-1383
The Carrefour Communautaire francophone de London (CCFL) is pleased to announce the launch of a new service: the Francophone Black Health Navigator.
"This service aims to improve access to healthcare and strengthen health equity for the Francophone Black community of London. Our Health Navigator, Mr. César Ebosse, will offer personalized support, including:
For more information or to access this service, please contact our Health Navigator:
Meilleures salutations
Rachid Barrima
Coordinateur de Connexions Communautaires et Carrefour Ethnoculturel
Carrefour Communautaire Francophone de London
920 rue Huron, London ON, N5Y 4K4
(519) 673-1977 poste 1017
(519) 860-5517
[email protected]
"This service aims to improve access to healthcare and strengthen health equity for the Francophone Black community of London. Our Health Navigator, Mr. César Ebosse, will offer personalized support, including:
- Assistance in navigating the healthcare system;
- Delivery of culturally relevant health education and training;
- Organization of workshops and seminars to raise awareness and promote healthy lifestyles;
- Connection of clients with available Francophone community resources and services;
- Advocacy on behalf of clients and the community to ensure equitable access to high-quality health and social services in French;
- Building partnerships with Francophone community organizations and healthcare providers to enhance equity and service delivery.
For more information or to access this service, please contact our Health Navigator:
- César Ebosse
- Phone: 519-852-3629
- Email: [email protected]
Meilleures salutations
Rachid Barrima
Coordinateur de Connexions Communautaires et Carrefour Ethnoculturel
Carrefour Communautaire Francophone de London
920 rue Huron, London ON, N5Y 4K4
(519) 673-1977 poste 1017
(519) 860-5517
[email protected]
A free health clinic every Tuesday
A community meal program every Thursday
A community shower program for those in need Mondays to Fridays
Human Trafficking
"In conjunction with the 2025 National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we've launched the pivotal campaign, Human Trafficking: It’s Not What You Think, aimed at debunking myths and equipping Canadians with the tools to recognize the more subtle signs of human trafficking.
Featuring digital out-of-home advertising, along with targeted campaigns on popular dating apps, streaming services, and social media, our campaign is already reaching hundreds of thousands from coast to coast to coast." (The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking)
Featuring digital out-of-home advertising, along with targeted campaigns on popular dating apps, streaming services, and social media, our campaign is already reaching hundreds of thousands from coast to coast to coast." (The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking)
Lectures
TBA
Mental Health
Happy anniversary 'me too.' community
"In an effort to reframe and expand avenues for survivor-driven accountability and resources for safety, we collaborated with Movement for Black Lives’ Abolishing Patriarchal Violence (APV) Table to create "Safe Haven: A Toolkit for Mental Health, Survivor Justice, and Alternatives to Policing." The Safe Haven Toolkit is designed to provide you with essential resources and support for mental health and survivor justice, while promoting transformative alternatives to traditional policing." (From me too e-newsletter)
Social
Volunteering
Workshops
"The Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) is thrilled to invite you or your clients to register for our My Money My Freedom Program, a financial empowerment training focused on addressing domestic economic abuse. Now entering its new cohort in winter 2024-2025, this program has proven highly effective in helping survivors build financial resilience and work toward financial independence for the last few years.
This program is specially designed for women, gender-diverse individuals, Black, Indigenous, and people of color residing in Ontario who have experienced domestic and economic abuse.
The program offers participants in-depth financial literacy knowledge and equips them with practical tools to rebuild their financial independence. The training includes a series of six comprehensive modules, delivered virtually every week, and is followed by personalized financial coaching through our new Money Clinic. Additionally, survivors will have access to a safe banking account through our new partnership with financial institutions.
As spots are limited, we encourage you to share this opportunity with your clients, friends or anyone you know that could benefit from this unique training and invite them to register promptly. In addition, participants will receive compensation for their participation in the program. Thank you for your support in promoting this initiative and helping us reach those who can benefit most. If you have any questions or need further details, please feel free to reach out. You can now proceed to register using the registration link below:"
Registration link https://forms.gle/Dn9VFw1bafjoBgM56
This program is specially designed for women, gender-diverse individuals, Black, Indigenous, and people of color residing in Ontario who have experienced domestic and economic abuse.
The program offers participants in-depth financial literacy knowledge and equips them with practical tools to rebuild their financial independence. The training includes a series of six comprehensive modules, delivered virtually every week, and is followed by personalized financial coaching through our new Money Clinic. Additionally, survivors will have access to a safe banking account through our new partnership with financial institutions.
As spots are limited, we encourage you to share this opportunity with your clients, friends or anyone you know that could benefit from this unique training and invite them to register promptly. In addition, participants will receive compensation for their participation in the program. Thank you for your support in promoting this initiative and helping us reach those who can benefit most. If you have any questions or need further details, please feel free to reach out. You can now proceed to register using the registration link below:"
Registration link https://forms.gle/Dn9VFw1bafjoBgM56
Youth
Books
For more information on The Kids Book of Black History in Canada and the author, click Writers Corner to be redirected to the web-page on this website.
Committees
Anti-Black Racism Plan
"In response to the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s June, 2020 declaration that racism is a public health crisis, the Health Unit hired a consultancy group to assist with the development of an Anti-Black Racism Plan (ABRP) for the agency. The Anti-Black Racism Plan was also shaped through the engagement of local African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) community representatives. The engagement strategies used included a survey, focus groups, and one-on-one sessions with community members who were able to add their voices to the development of the plan."
Read the plan
"The ABRP has identified 45 recommendations, which are focused on addressing and eliminating anti-Black racism from public health programs and services in London and Middlesex County, and on collaborating with others to address and eliminate anti-Black racism more broadly. Download and review the Anti-Black Racism Plan from the link below."
Dining Experience
150 North St. E., Tillsonuburg, ON
519-868-6785/[email protected]
Cool Convenience | Facebook/ig:@coolconvenience
519-868-6785/[email protected]
Cool Convenience | Facebook/ig:@coolconvenience
More Than Your Local Convenience Store
Cook Food Available: Thursday - Saturday
Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, Curry Goat, Oxtail & more
All meals served with rice and peas, plantain & coleslaw
Cook Food Available: Thursday - Saturday
Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, Curry Goat, Oxtail & more
All meals served with rice and peas, plantain & coleslaw
Khadijah Haliru
1-844-535-5463
1-844-535-5463
HANAK ARENA BITES
Fast Food Meets African Cuisine
Hanak Foods brings Nigeria to dinner tables in Oxford County | Ontario Culinary
Order Online
Windsor West Indian Association
2410 Central Ave,
Windsor, ON N8W 4J4
519-945-0213, [email protected]
Caribbean Take out
Call to order 519-945-0213
Curb side pick up only
EACH WEEKEND WE FEATURE AN ASSORTMENT OF CARIBBEAN FAVOURITES
Curb side pick up only
EACH WEEKEND WE FEATURE AN ASSORTMENT OF CARIBBEAN FAVOURITES
Entertainment
- Arobiz.ca - Listings of Toronto Events and Entertainment
- The Black Academy - Celebrates & Inspires Black Canadians in the Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Sports
- B.L.A.C.K. Canada - Building A Legacy in Acting, Cinema and Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K.) Canada is a community based not-for-profit organization
- Prestige Ignites - Canadian singer-songwriter, Recording Artist, Poet, Model & Motivational Speaker
- Saidat - is a children's entertainer, speaker, author, singer and songwriter who has The Saidat Show.
- Toronto Black Film Festival
- Vancouver International Black Film Festival
TBA
Films
Ray of Hope Documentary COMING TO CBC GEMS - JANUARY 31, 2024
"We are honored to share that Ray of Hope is now available For Your Consideration for the Canadian Screen Awards! This powerful documentary, which sheds light on the resilience of the Tamil diaspora, has touched audiences worldwide, earning 15 awards and 65 nominations across over two dozen film festivals.
To the Canadian Screen Awards Documentary Jury, we invite you to experience Ray of Hope—a story of survival, identity, and hope.
We are also thrilled to announce that Ray of Hope will be available for all to watch on CBC Gem starting January 31, 2025!" (#rayofhopedocumentary hashtag#foryourconsideration hashtag#canadianscreenawards hashtag#csa2025)
To the Canadian Screen Awards Documentary Jury, we invite you to experience Ray of Hope—a story of survival, identity, and hope.
We are also thrilled to announce that Ray of Hope will be available for all to watch on CBC Gem starting January 31, 2025!" (#rayofhopedocumentary hashtag#foryourconsideration hashtag#canadianscreenawards hashtag#csa2025)
HER-STORY
"A shy high school student who blossomed into a genuine star at her community’s biggest event, Joella Crichton learned how to perform in front of crowds of thousands. In her community, she is a rock star of sorts. Carnival is a deeply important event, and its Queen is revered. Building on backstory from Joella’s childhood and family background, this film will give viewers an in-depth personal perspective into the building of a Queen. But it will also emphasize and celebrate the intricate details that go into preparing for the competition and building the elaborate costumes; the history of the competition and Carnival in Toronto; Black and Caribbean-Canadian identity; and the fact that Caribbean communities do not hold the same narrow and exclusive standards of beauty as Europe and North America do." (From Callowgrove Entertainment website)
“The Water Walker”
Watch on Crave TV
"Seeing Red 6Nations, an Indigenous-owned media company based on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, comes the film The Water Walker. 15 years old, Autumn Peltier has become a powerful advocate for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities around the world. THE WATER WALKER documents Peltier's powerful journey from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada to New York City as she prepares to speak in front of the United Nations with the hope of preserving the future of Indigenous communities for generations to come.
The film is narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Graham Greene (Oneida, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory (Ontario).
The Water Walker is a relevant and timely documentary with international awareness growing about the water crisis that exists within First Nations communities." (From Seeing Red 6 Nations Press Release)
The film is narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Graham Greene (Oneida, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory (Ontario).
The Water Walker is a relevant and timely documentary with international awareness growing about the water crisis that exists within First Nations communities." (From Seeing Red 6 Nations Press Release)
HISTORY® AND HUNGRY EYES MEDIA
PRESENT A GROUNDBREAKING EXPLORATION OF CANADA’S BLACK HISTORY IN
BLK: AN ORIGIN STORY
"It's here! The BLK: An Origin Story Trailer! It's dynamic, full of facts, historically driven and ready for you to share with your social media networks, friends, family, colleagues etc.
It's time that Canada stand up and represent our history, which is
BLACK HISTORY!
The episode can be found on Global; you will have to sign in.
It's time that Canada stand up and represent our history, which is
BLACK HISTORY!
The episode can be found on Global; you will have to sign in.
Written and Directed by Jennifer Holness
Produced by Jennifer Holness
2021 | 101 minutes
"Subjects of Desire explores the cultural shift in North American beauty standards
towards embracing Black female aesthetics and features while exposing the deliberate
and often dangerous portrayals of Black women in the media. From society’s new fixation on the ‘booty’, fuller lips, the dramatic rise of spray tanned skin, ethnic hairstyles, and athletic bodies, some argue that Black women are having a beauty moment. But others, primarily Black women, argue that traditional Black features and attributes are seen as more desirable when they are on White women.
Told from the POV of women who aren’t afraid to challenge conventional beauty
standards, the film is partially set at the 50th Anniversary of the Miss Black America
Pageant, a beauty pageant that was created as a political protest. Subjects of Desire is a culturally significant, provocative film that challenges and ultimately deconstructs what we understand about race and the power behind beauty." (From Hungry Eyes Media website)
Produced by Jennifer Holness
2021 | 101 minutes
"Subjects of Desire explores the cultural shift in North American beauty standards
towards embracing Black female aesthetics and features while exposing the deliberate
and often dangerous portrayals of Black women in the media. From society’s new fixation on the ‘booty’, fuller lips, the dramatic rise of spray tanned skin, ethnic hairstyles, and athletic bodies, some argue that Black women are having a beauty moment. But others, primarily Black women, argue that traditional Black features and attributes are seen as more desirable when they are on White women.
Told from the POV of women who aren’t afraid to challenge conventional beauty
standards, the film is partially set at the 50th Anniversary of the Miss Black America
Pageant, a beauty pageant that was created as a political protest. Subjects of Desire is a culturally significant, provocative film that challenges and ultimately deconstructs what we understand about race and the power behind beauty." (From Hungry Eyes Media website)
PROJECTS ON THE SLATE
CARRIE BEST (Series) with writer Lawrence Hill and co-producer Vanessa Mitchell
Guided by an unwavering determination to never yield to injustice, Carrie Best travels a lonesome road in the fight for the civil rights of Black Canadians. Her incredible journey has shaped our nation, even if most of us don’t know it yet."
Guided by an unwavering determination to never yield to injustice, Carrie Best travels a lonesome road in the fight for the civil rights of Black Canadians. Her incredible journey has shaped our nation, even if most of us don’t know it yet."
40 ACRES (Feature) with writer/director R.T. Thorne
"Hailey Freeman and her family are the last descendants of African American slaves
who traveled the underground railroad and settled in rural Canada after the Civil War.
They survive in a post-apocalyptic future by pushing themselves to the limit of human
endurance and must make their last stand against a band of organized mercenaries,
intent on taking their 40 ACRES.
In development with Telefilm, Ontario Creates and HGF" (From Hungry Eyes Media website)
who traveled the underground railroad and settled in rural Canada after the Civil War.
They survive in a post-apocalyptic future by pushing themselves to the limit of human
endurance and must make their last stand against a band of organized mercenaries,
intent on taking their 40 ACRES.
In development with Telefilm, Ontario Creates and HGF" (From Hungry Eyes Media website)
Crave Original Documentary OSCAR PETERSON: BLACK + WHITE
"Following its recent World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Barry Avrich’s OSCAR PETERSON: BLACK + WHITE is available for streaming on Friday, Oct. 22. The Crave Original Documentary is a celebration of Montréal-born musician, Oscar Peterson, and charts his rise to prominence and legendary proficiency as a jazz pianist. The film is packed with musical moments and interviews with Peterson, as well as those he inspired and mentored, including Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel, Branford Marsalis, Measha Brueggergosman, Joe Sealy, Robi Botos, and Oscar® winner Jon Batiste." (From Channel Canada website)
Financial Resources
Media
- African Canadian Voice (AVC) - A program focusing on African Canadian culture and heritage
- The Caribbean Camara - a trusted source of news, information, and community engagement for the Black and Caribbean communities in Toronto, Canada
- Caribbean Vibrations TV - is a magazine style program, highlighting the best of the best in Caribbean entertainment, lifestyle & culture
- The Caribbean Views - Dedicated entirely to the sights, sounds, and celebrations of Carnival across the Caribbean
- Hungry Eyes Media
- The Caribbean Camera - Many People, One Paper
"Caribbean Vibrations TV presents Self-Made Canadians, a two-part documentary series showcasing the overlooked successes of Black Canadians. Supported by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the documentary highlights the resilience and entrepreneurship of individuals who triumphed despite systemic racism.
Featuring 4 powerful stories produced by Black journalists and filmmakers: Elijah McCoy's revolutionary invention, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn's taxi business, Robert Sutherland's role in saving Queen's University, and Beverly Mascoll's reign as a beauty trailblazer in Canada—highlight untold histories and inspire awareness."
Click to watch our Self-Made Canadian Series
Featuring 4 powerful stories produced by Black journalists and filmmakers: Elijah McCoy's revolutionary invention, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn's taxi business, Robert Sutherland's role in saving Queen's University, and Beverly Mascoll's reign as a beauty trailblazer in Canada—highlight untold histories and inspire awareness."
Click to watch our Self-Made Canadian Series
Newsletters
Underground Railroad Free Press - your source for news and views on today's Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad Free Press
News & views of the Underground Railroad
• Vol. XVIIII, no. 110, November 2024
"Published bimonthly since 2006, we bring together organizations and people interested in the historical and the contemporary Underground Railroad. Free Press is the home of Lynx, the central registry of contemporary Underground Railroad organizations and the Free Press Prizes awarded annually for leadership, preservation and advancement of knowledge, the community's highest honors. Please visit urrfreepress.com for more. Underground Railroad Free Press is emailed free of charge around the 15th of odd-numbered months." (From the Underground Railroad Free Press)
In This Issue:
Freedom Center Voted #2 History Museum in the Country
Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has once again been named by USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards as one of the top museums in the United States. This is the fourth year in a row that the Freedom Center has received the honor. Following is the Center's press release upon winning the award, which has been lightly for space.
The Freedom Center’s relocated Kentucky barn that had been used as slave quarters
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center faced off against 20 other museums across the country for the title of Best History Museum in the country. Over a four-week nationwide vote, the nationally-accredited museum garnered the second-most votes in USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards. This was the fourth consecutive year the Freedom Center has finished in the top three. It took home first place last year.
This year, Cincinnati is home to not one but two of the nation’s top history museums as the Cincinnati History Museum finished third in voting.
The full list of USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards can be viewed at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-history-museum-2024/.
“After being voted among the top three history museums in the nation for the fourth year in a row, it’s obvious that these stories matter,” said Woodrow Keown, Jr., president and COO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “This is a testament to the relevance of these stories as we continue the freedom journey started by our ancestors and is a celebration of our community which supports us. To everyone who voted, everyone who has visited and everyone who has supported us in so many ways, you have our continued gratitude.”
Since its opening in 2004, the Freedom Center has shared stories of freedom’s heroes from the era of the Underground Railroad to today. It is symbolically located on the banks of the Ohio River, where many enslaved people took their first steps on free soil after self-liberating through the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s. The Freedom Center honors that legacy through immersive, thought-provoking exhibits, programming and films to be a convener of dialogue around issues of freedom, the denial of freedom, systemic racism, implicit bias and modern-day enslavement. During a visit, guests are introduced to freedom conductors including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, John Rankin, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Box Brown, Margaret Garner and the millions whose names have long been forgotten.
The Freedom Center is developing a new exhibit that will ensure its content remains relevant and continues to share stories that will inform the current and changing dynamics of the ongoing social justice movement. To ensure its galleries and its stories are accessible to the entire community, the Freedom Center partnered with the Fifth Third Bank Foundation to start Fifth Third Community Days, providing free admission on the fifth and third Sunday each month, plus MLK Day and Juneteenth, through 2026.
“This honor brings national recognition not only to our organization, but to our mission and our city. It further establishes Cincinnati as a tourist destination and a city dedicated to the inclusive freedom our mission embodies,” added Keown. “We hope this award will encourage more people from across the country to experience all our museum and our city have to offer.”
Since its opening in August of 2004, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have used the Center's online educational resources working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State, and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the Center launched endslaverynow.org, an online resource in the fight against modern slavery.
Brigadier General Tubman
The following article is adapted from an Associated Press release.
Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday.
Dozens gathered on Veterans Day at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Maryland’s Dorchester County for a formal ceremony making Tubman a one-star brigadier general in the state’s National Guard.
Gov. Wes Moore called the occasion not just a great day for Tubman’s home state but for all of the U.S.
Said Moore, “Today, we celebrate a soldier and a person who earned the title of veteran. Today we celebrate one of the greatest authors of the American story.”
Harriet Tubman statue in the Maryland Statehouse. Underground Railroad Free Press participated in the dedication of the statue.
Tubman escaped slavery herself in 1849 and settled in Philadelphia. Intent on helping others achieve freedom, she established the Underground Railroad network and led other enslaved Black women and men to freedom. She then channeled those experiences as a scout, spy and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War, helping guide 150 Black soldiers on a gunboat raid in South Carolina.
Nobody would have judged Tubman had she chosen to remain in Philadelphia and coordinate abolitionist efforts from there, Moore said.
“She knew that in order to do the work, which meant that she had to go into the lion’s den,” Moore said. “She knew that leadership means you have to be willing to do what you are asking others to do.”
The reading of the official order was followed by a symbolic pinning ceremony with Tubman’s great-great-great grandniece, Tina Wyatt.
Wyatt hailed her aunt’s legacy of tenacity, generosity and faith and agreed Veterans Day applied to her as much as any other servicemember.
“Aunt Harriet was one of those veterans informally. She gave up any rights that she had obtained for herself to be able to fight for others,” Wyatt said. “She is a selfless person.”
Tubman’s status as an icon of history has only been further elevated within the last few years. The city of Philadelphia chose a Black artist to make a 14-foot bronze statue to go on display next year. In 2022, a Chicago elementary school was renamed for Tubman, replacing the previous namesake, who had racist views. However, plans to put Tubman on the $20 bill have continued to stall.
Free Press note: The United States Department of the Treasury says that the project to put Tubman on the $20 bill is still in the works but awaits a more secure means of printing all denominations to make them harder to counterfeit.
Perseverance Pays Off
Following a four-year campaign led by Village Preservation, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on October 21 finally voted to landmark 50 West 13th Street, the endangered 1846 house in the city's Greenwich Village neighborhood that Free Press has been reporting on since 2022. In its designation, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission dubbed the building “The Jacob Day Residence,” recognizing the nearly forgotten Black civil rights pioneer who owned the house and lived here from 1858 to 1884, which Village Preservation’s research originally brought to the Commission’s attention and was the basis of the campaign for landmark designation.
“We are thrilled that after a four-year effort, this endangered and fragile historic site, so rich in Black history, women’s suffrage history, and theater history, is finally landmarked,” said Andrew Berman, Executive Director of Village Preservation. “Watching conditions at the building deteriorate for years, and the owner purposely strip historic 19th-century architectural features while the city refused to act, have been painful. We’re hopeful that landmark designation will stem the tide of deterioration at the building, and 50 West 13th Street will ultimately be restored to the condition it deserves. The house’s designation provides long-overdue recognition to Jacob Day’s inspiring work in the 19th century to abolish slavery and achieve equality for Black New Yorkers, Sarah Smith Garnet’s work in the 19th century to fight racism and advance women’s suffrage, and to 13th Street Repertory owner Edith O’Hara’s work in the 20th century to provide a platform for creative expression that eschewed the mainstream and transformed theater,” Berman added.
For Free Press's earlier reporting on Jacob Day House, see our issues of November 2022 and May and July of 2024 at http://urrfreepress.com/archives.html.
This Frederick Douglass Biography Is Like No Other
Author Jack Hanrahan's latest book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: Frederick Douglass in Maryland, is getting dazzling reviews. Says Dorothy Willsey, President of the National Abolition Hall of Fame, " Reading about Douglass is a moving experience. Reading Douglass's own words is an inspiring experience. Reading his words in the context of his places is a superlative experience! Hanrahan facilitates this experience by assisting with travel details that would otherwise take time away from knowing Douglass better.”
Frederick Douglass in Maryland helps readers to know this heroic figure better as both travel essay and anthology. The book offers a nicely curated, two-day, self-directed tour of Douglass historical sites on Maryland's Eastern Shore and in Baltimore. At over four dozen recommended stops, Douglass’s connections to each location are explained. Interspersed though the book are selected from Douglass writings and speeches. Hanrahan explains that the "Douglass Speaks segments connect to each location and help the reader know this immensely consequential American better."
Hanrahan's first book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: A Guide to Exploring Our Civil Rights History, was selected as the best non-fiction travel book in the 2022 Best Indie Book Awards competition. In 2023,the book was named the best book in the African American History/Culture category by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
- In This Issue
- High honor for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- High honor for Harriet Tubman
- An Underground Railroad safehouse is saved
- A unique Frederick Douglass biography
Freedom Center Voted #2 History Museum in the Country
Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has once again been named by USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards as one of the top museums in the United States. This is the fourth year in a row that the Freedom Center has received the honor. Following is the Center's press release upon winning the award, which has been lightly for space.
The Freedom Center’s relocated Kentucky barn that had been used as slave quarters
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center faced off against 20 other museums across the country for the title of Best History Museum in the country. Over a four-week nationwide vote, the nationally-accredited museum garnered the second-most votes in USA TODAY’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards. This was the fourth consecutive year the Freedom Center has finished in the top three. It took home first place last year.
This year, Cincinnati is home to not one but two of the nation’s top history museums as the Cincinnati History Museum finished third in voting.
The full list of USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards can be viewed at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-history-museum-2024/.
“After being voted among the top three history museums in the nation for the fourth year in a row, it’s obvious that these stories matter,” said Woodrow Keown, Jr., president and COO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “This is a testament to the relevance of these stories as we continue the freedom journey started by our ancestors and is a celebration of our community which supports us. To everyone who voted, everyone who has visited and everyone who has supported us in so many ways, you have our continued gratitude.”
Since its opening in 2004, the Freedom Center has shared stories of freedom’s heroes from the era of the Underground Railroad to today. It is symbolically located on the banks of the Ohio River, where many enslaved people took their first steps on free soil after self-liberating through the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s. The Freedom Center honors that legacy through immersive, thought-provoking exhibits, programming and films to be a convener of dialogue around issues of freedom, the denial of freedom, systemic racism, implicit bias and modern-day enslavement. During a visit, guests are introduced to freedom conductors including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, John Rankin, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Box Brown, Margaret Garner and the millions whose names have long been forgotten.
The Freedom Center is developing a new exhibit that will ensure its content remains relevant and continues to share stories that will inform the current and changing dynamics of the ongoing social justice movement. To ensure its galleries and its stories are accessible to the entire community, the Freedom Center partnered with the Fifth Third Bank Foundation to start Fifth Third Community Days, providing free admission on the fifth and third Sunday each month, plus MLK Day and Juneteenth, through 2026.
“This honor brings national recognition not only to our organization, but to our mission and our city. It further establishes Cincinnati as a tourist destination and a city dedicated to the inclusive freedom our mission embodies,” added Keown. “We hope this award will encourage more people from across the country to experience all our museum and our city have to offer.”
Since its opening in August of 2004, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have used the Center's online educational resources working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State, and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the Center launched endslaverynow.org, an online resource in the fight against modern slavery.
Brigadier General Tubman
The following article is adapted from an Associated Press release.
Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday.
Dozens gathered on Veterans Day at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Maryland’s Dorchester County for a formal ceremony making Tubman a one-star brigadier general in the state’s National Guard.
Gov. Wes Moore called the occasion not just a great day for Tubman’s home state but for all of the U.S.
Said Moore, “Today, we celebrate a soldier and a person who earned the title of veteran. Today we celebrate one of the greatest authors of the American story.”
Harriet Tubman statue in the Maryland Statehouse. Underground Railroad Free Press participated in the dedication of the statue.
Tubman escaped slavery herself in 1849 and settled in Philadelphia. Intent on helping others achieve freedom, she established the Underground Railroad network and led other enslaved Black women and men to freedom. She then channeled those experiences as a scout, spy and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War, helping guide 150 Black soldiers on a gunboat raid in South Carolina.
Nobody would have judged Tubman had she chosen to remain in Philadelphia and coordinate abolitionist efforts from there, Moore said.
“She knew that in order to do the work, which meant that she had to go into the lion’s den,” Moore said. “She knew that leadership means you have to be willing to do what you are asking others to do.”
The reading of the official order was followed by a symbolic pinning ceremony with Tubman’s great-great-great grandniece, Tina Wyatt.
Wyatt hailed her aunt’s legacy of tenacity, generosity and faith and agreed Veterans Day applied to her as much as any other servicemember.
“Aunt Harriet was one of those veterans informally. She gave up any rights that she had obtained for herself to be able to fight for others,” Wyatt said. “She is a selfless person.”
Tubman’s status as an icon of history has only been further elevated within the last few years. The city of Philadelphia chose a Black artist to make a 14-foot bronze statue to go on display next year. In 2022, a Chicago elementary school was renamed for Tubman, replacing the previous namesake, who had racist views. However, plans to put Tubman on the $20 bill have continued to stall.
Free Press note: The United States Department of the Treasury says that the project to put Tubman on the $20 bill is still in the works but awaits a more secure means of printing all denominations to make them harder to counterfeit.
Perseverance Pays Off
Following a four-year campaign led by Village Preservation, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on October 21 finally voted to landmark 50 West 13th Street, the endangered 1846 house in the city's Greenwich Village neighborhood that Free Press has been reporting on since 2022. In its designation, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission dubbed the building “The Jacob Day Residence,” recognizing the nearly forgotten Black civil rights pioneer who owned the house and lived here from 1858 to 1884, which Village Preservation’s research originally brought to the Commission’s attention and was the basis of the campaign for landmark designation.
“We are thrilled that after a four-year effort, this endangered and fragile historic site, so rich in Black history, women’s suffrage history, and theater history, is finally landmarked,” said Andrew Berman, Executive Director of Village Preservation. “Watching conditions at the building deteriorate for years, and the owner purposely strip historic 19th-century architectural features while the city refused to act, have been painful. We’re hopeful that landmark designation will stem the tide of deterioration at the building, and 50 West 13th Street will ultimately be restored to the condition it deserves. The house’s designation provides long-overdue recognition to Jacob Day’s inspiring work in the 19th century to abolish slavery and achieve equality for Black New Yorkers, Sarah Smith Garnet’s work in the 19th century to fight racism and advance women’s suffrage, and to 13th Street Repertory owner Edith O’Hara’s work in the 20th century to provide a platform for creative expression that eschewed the mainstream and transformed theater,” Berman added.
For Free Press's earlier reporting on Jacob Day House, see our issues of November 2022 and May and July of 2024 at http://urrfreepress.com/archives.html.
This Frederick Douglass Biography Is Like No Other
Author Jack Hanrahan's latest book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: Frederick Douglass in Maryland, is getting dazzling reviews. Says Dorothy Willsey, President of the National Abolition Hall of Fame, " Reading about Douglass is a moving experience. Reading Douglass's own words is an inspiring experience. Reading his words in the context of his places is a superlative experience! Hanrahan facilitates this experience by assisting with travel details that would otherwise take time away from knowing Douglass better.”
Frederick Douglass in Maryland helps readers to know this heroic figure better as both travel essay and anthology. The book offers a nicely curated, two-day, self-directed tour of Douglass historical sites on Maryland's Eastern Shore and in Baltimore. At over four dozen recommended stops, Douglass’s connections to each location are explained. Interspersed though the book are selected from Douglass writings and speeches. Hanrahan explains that the "Douglass Speaks segments connect to each location and help the reader know this immensely consequential American better."
Hanrahan's first book, Traveling Freedom’s Road: A Guide to Exploring Our Civil Rights History, was selected as the best non-fiction travel book in the 2022 Best Indie Book Awards competition. In 2023,the book was named the best book in the African American History/Culture category by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
Indigenous Connections - Summer 2024 | Volume 12
"Maamawi /m-a-m-a-w-i/ means together in Ojibway. This past summer we saw collective efforts and working together to advance indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation on campus. Many community members embodied the spirit of unity, collaboration and mutual support in the face of the world's challenges. Together we can continue to work to address the past and present to create a just and sustainable future."
"Maamawi /m-a-m-a-w-i/ means together in Ojibway. This past summer we saw collective efforts and working together to advance indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation on campus. Many community members embodied the spirit of unity, collaboration and mutual support in the face of the world's challenges. Together we can continue to work to address the past and present to create a just and sustainable future."
In this issue:
- Indigenization on Campus
- Upcoming Events
- Opportunities
- News
- Territorial Acknowledgement
W Store launches new Indigenous Collection
Celebrating the newest Indigenous collection featuring artwork from Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy pus Hall or Online at wstore.ca.
Celebrating the newest Indigenous collection featuring artwork from Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy pus Hall or Online at wstore.ca.
Non-Profits
OUR MISSION
"Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation (HHJF) is a North America-based organization seeking to improve the lives of the next generation of children, young adults and their communities by creating a world-class education system through investment in infrastructure, health, wellness and leadership.
The motto of HHJF is 'Participate, Educate, Elevate' because we believe by providing the opportunity for an education, we can eliminate the barriers to a child's success." (From Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation website)
The motto of HHJF is 'Participate, Educate, Elevate' because we believe by providing the opportunity for an education, we can eliminate the barriers to a child's success." (From Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation website)
Podcasts
Archives & Things Melissa J. Nelson
Latest Episode Archives & Things is a podcast dedicated to exploring archival practice in the Canadian landscape. It brings to the forefront the experiences of Black people who create, work with, and care for archival materials. Your host, Melissa J. Nelson, is an archivist, researcher, writer, and educator based in Toronto, Ontario. In these episodes, Melissa will be in conversation with members of her network who come from diverse backgrounds. What connects them is their interest in Black memory, archives, and history. Learn more about Melissa at https://melissajnelson.com/.
"In The Black: Canada, was started by three Black Canadian women Nina Aning, Sonia Godding-Togobo, and Donna Paris who, through their work in media and education, have focused on the experience of being Black Canadian. Together they created two projects - The Web Chronicles (2015), and The Windsor Project (2017), which is now part of the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Windsor. Though the collective is not currently active, they all continue the work of telling the stories of Black people." (From the In The Black: Canada website)
I Am Black History (ITBC)
The I Am Black History podcast is a solo project by Donna Paris through InTheBlack:Canada website. Individuals who have stories to share can contact Donna through the website.
Slavery in Newfoundland and Labrador Episode 1: Who was W.H.?
"Unearthed: Slavery in Newfoundland and Labrador is a multipart radio documentary and digital series that examines connections of enslaved Black people in the province. It features Xaiver Michael Campbell and is produced by the CBC's Heather Barrett, who is host and producer of Weekend AM. New episodes air on Fridays on CrossTalk on CBC Radio 1 and will be available as podcasts. Listen below to the full documentary Who Was W.H.?" (From CBC website)
Research Projects
Western News - Mapping the stories of formerly enslaved Black Londoners focus of new research
"In 1856, Benjamin Drew, a U.S. abolitionist, travelled to Canada to transcribe the oral stories of formerly enslaved Black refugees. Among them, 16 individuals who originally settled in London, Ont. Their narratives, recorded in Drew’s book, A North-Side View of Slavery, describe their former enslavers, their escapes and how they made it to Canada.
|
But what of their lives afterwards?
With Drew’s accounts as their starting point, Western researchers Miranda Green-Barteet and Alyssa MacLean are working to trace the paths these self-liberated individuals took after arriving in London. By documenting their journeys through an interactive website hosted by Western Libraries, Green-Barteet and MacLean aim to address a longstanding gap in the history of Black Londoners." news.westernu.ca
With Drew’s accounts as their starting point, Western researchers Miranda Green-Barteet and Alyssa MacLean are working to trace the paths these self-liberated individuals took after arriving in London. By documenting their journeys through an interactive website hosted by Western Libraries, Green-Barteet and MacLean aim to address a longstanding gap in the history of Black Londoners." news.westernu.ca
Resources
"A Black People’s History of Canada empowers educators, learners, and all Canadians through ground-breaking research in African Canadian history.
We mobilize this new knowledge through workshops and conferences, publications, the project’s website, podcasts, films and videos, and print and social media. The end result is the creation of engaging class-room ready curricular material for K-12 learners. We collaborate and consult with African Canadian organizations, educational authorities, and government agencies."
We mobilize this new knowledge through workshops and conferences, publications, the project’s website, podcasts, films and videos, and print and social media. The end result is the creation of engaging class-room ready curricular material for K-12 learners. We collaborate and consult with African Canadian organizations, educational authorities, and government agencies."
- Black Researchers of Southwestern Ontario (BRSO)
- Government of Canada Invests in African Canadian History Education – Canada.ca
- “A Black People’s History of Canada” set to produce a seismic shift in education about Canadian history – Dal News – Dalhousie University
- Canadian government makes investment to document Black Canadian history — Ron Fanfair
- Dal-led Black history project receives $1M federal investment | Academica Group – Research and Consulting for Higher Education
- The Black Social History
- Emancipation Day | Black History Ottawa
One Too Many The Enslavement of Africans in Early Ontario 1760 - 1834
Abolitionist Newspapers of the 1850s
Immigration and Ethnicity in Canada Booklet Series
(Download and read The Enslavement of Africans in Canada by Dr. Aufa Cooper)
(Download and read The Enslavement of Africans in Canada by Dr. Aufa Cooper)
Scholarships
"NACCA is proud to announce our 2025 Scholarship Program, supporting the next generation of Black leaders in York Region!
Scholarship Opportunities:
• NACCA General Scholarship: $1,500
• Iris Malcolm Memorial Award: $2,500
• Southlake Regional Health Centre Scholarship: $2,500
• Rightsline Computer Science Scholarship: $5,000/year + internship
• Wasim Jarrah Business Excellence Award: $750
Eligibility Criteria:
• Self-identify as Black
• Resident of York Region
• Demonstrate academic excellence
• Show a strong commitment to community service
Important Dates:
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Award Ceremony: Thursday, July 3, 2025
For comprehensive eligibility details and application instructions, please visit https://lnkd.in/efwzzwpp or contact us at [email protected]."
Scholarship Opportunities:
• NACCA General Scholarship: $1,500
• Iris Malcolm Memorial Award: $2,500
• Southlake Regional Health Centre Scholarship: $2,500
• Rightsline Computer Science Scholarship: $5,000/year + internship
• Wasim Jarrah Business Excellence Award: $750
Eligibility Criteria:
• Self-identify as Black
• Resident of York Region
• Demonstrate academic excellence
• Show a strong commitment to community service
Important Dates:
• Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Award Ceremony: Thursday, July 3, 2025
For comprehensive eligibility details and application instructions, please visit https://lnkd.in/efwzzwpp or contact us at [email protected]."
"Enoch Media Inc., through its SavvyNewCanadians.com platform, is launching a scholarship for the purpose of increasing and improving financial literacy and awareness among students in Canada. The scholarship is available every year. The application date: January 1, 2025 and deadline: September 22, 2025Scholarships will be awarded to two qualified candidates, and the winners will be notified by email within three weeks of the deadline.
For Fall 2025, award winners will be announced on October 27, 2025.
Fill out application form here." (From Savvy New Canadian website)
For Fall 2025, award winners will be announced on October 27, 2025.
Fill out application form here." (From Savvy New Canadian website)
Black Student Scholarship Initiative
"The University of Windsor has established a $250,000 goal for the new Black Student Scholarship Initiative that will begin to support Black-identified students in Fall 2021.
To achieve this milestone, the University is committed to matching the first $125,000 raised in a campaign that will launch during Black History Month.
The Black Student Scholarship Initiative is an outstanding opportunity. Not only is this an excellent chance for current and prospective students to pursue any one of the 190 program options that UWindsor provides, but these funds could potentially serve as a resource for those bright young students with aspirations to explore graduate degrees at the University of Windsor.
Scholarships will be available to entering and continuing students in both graduate and undergraduate programs and will be chosen through a student awards committee.
The scholarship is part of the University’s commitment to addressing anti-Black racism to ensure that all members of our campus community can study, work, teach, research, and create in a healthy, safe, and supportive environment.
Prospective Students and Incoming First Year Students for Fall 2025:
All prospective and first-year students for fall 2025 are encouraged to apply for Additional Entrance Scholarships from January 1, 2025, to April 30, 2025. Students do not need an offer of admission to apply. Once a student has activated their UWIN ID and gained access to the 'Applicant Home Page' in UWinsite Student, they will be able to begin their applications."
Check out website:
https://www.uwindsor.ca/studentawards/470/uwinaward-application-apply-awards
To achieve this milestone, the University is committed to matching the first $125,000 raised in a campaign that will launch during Black History Month.
The Black Student Scholarship Initiative is an outstanding opportunity. Not only is this an excellent chance for current and prospective students to pursue any one of the 190 program options that UWindsor provides, but these funds could potentially serve as a resource for those bright young students with aspirations to explore graduate degrees at the University of Windsor.
Scholarships will be available to entering and continuing students in both graduate and undergraduate programs and will be chosen through a student awards committee.
The scholarship is part of the University’s commitment to addressing anti-Black racism to ensure that all members of our campus community can study, work, teach, research, and create in a healthy, safe, and supportive environment.
Prospective Students and Incoming First Year Students for Fall 2025:
All prospective and first-year students for fall 2025 are encouraged to apply for Additional Entrance Scholarships from January 1, 2025, to April 30, 2025. Students do not need an offer of admission to apply. Once a student has activated their UWIN ID and gained access to the 'Applicant Home Page' in UWinsite Student, they will be able to begin their applications."
Check out website:
https://www.uwindsor.ca/studentawards/470/uwinaward-application-apply-awards
Tepperman Family Commits to Graduate Scholarships for Indigenous Peoples
"A multi-year financial commitment by local family-owned furniture and appliance chain Tepperman’s will provide post-graduate scholarship opportunities to Indigenous Peoples looking to reach the highest levels of education, says Andrew Tepperman, third generation president of the 96- year-old company.
The Tepperman Family Graduate Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples will award two fully-funded scholarships annually – one each for qualifying students in Masters and PhD programs.
“We believe this program fills an important educational gap that will empower these graduate students to be better equipped to make a difference within their communities and Canada,” Tepperman said.
University of Windsor President and Vice-Chancellor Rob Gordon says systemic bias and lack of financial supports are among the many reasons Indigenous Peoples are not appropriately represented in academia.
“Students in graduate programs need financial support and personal encouragement to continue their educational path and eventually share their own expertise through teaching, research, and creative activity,” Dr. Gordon says.
“We are grateful to the Tepperman family for recognizing the importance of providing this support. We all benefit when the best and brightest among us have the opportunity to pursue their talents and abilities without barriers.”
The Teppermans’ commitment to academic opportunity has provided more than 700 students with post-secondary tuition funding since 1988. This latest community partnership aligns with the company’s corporate Vision 2025.
Tepperman notes that Canada is a country of immigrants living on the traditional land of Indigenous Peoples and says all Canadians must find ways to reflect on how they can acknowledge and begin to rectify historic injustice.
“There are many ways to support Truth and Reconciliation. Tepperman’s has chosen the path of higher learning.” (From the University of Windsor website)
The Tepperman Family Graduate Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples will award two fully-funded scholarships annually – one each for qualifying students in Masters and PhD programs.
“We believe this program fills an important educational gap that will empower these graduate students to be better equipped to make a difference within their communities and Canada,” Tepperman said.
University of Windsor President and Vice-Chancellor Rob Gordon says systemic bias and lack of financial supports are among the many reasons Indigenous Peoples are not appropriately represented in academia.
“Students in graduate programs need financial support and personal encouragement to continue their educational path and eventually share their own expertise through teaching, research, and creative activity,” Dr. Gordon says.
“We are grateful to the Tepperman family for recognizing the importance of providing this support. We all benefit when the best and brightest among us have the opportunity to pursue their talents and abilities without barriers.”
The Teppermans’ commitment to academic opportunity has provided more than 700 students with post-secondary tuition funding since 1988. This latest community partnership aligns with the company’s corporate Vision 2025.
Tepperman notes that Canada is a country of immigrants living on the traditional land of Indigenous Peoples and says all Canadians must find ways to reflect on how they can acknowledge and begin to rectify historic injustice.
“There are many ways to support Truth and Reconciliation. Tepperman’s has chosen the path of higher learning.” (From the University of Windsor website)
Television
The Six Triple Eight: A Netflix Movie
The Six Triple Eight | Official Trailer | Netflix (Video courtesy of/& used with permission)
Synopsis:
"The Six Triple Eight is inspired by the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Despite facing racism and sexism - and grueling working conditions - they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers.
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Produced by Tyler Perry, Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, Keri Selig and Carlota Espinosa, the film features an ensemble cast including Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Moriah Brown, Jeanté Godlock, Susan Sarandon, with Dean Norris, and Sam Waterston, and Oprah Winfrey.
Based on the article by Kevin M. Hymel, the film features an original song written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R., with choreography by Debbie Allen. During World War II, 855 women joined the fight to fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail. Faced with discrimination and a country devastated by war, they managed to sort more than 17 million pieces of mail ahead of time."
(Netflix)
"The Six Triple Eight is inspired by the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Despite facing racism and sexism - and grueling working conditions - they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers.
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Produced by Tyler Perry, Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, Keri Selig and Carlota Espinosa, the film features an ensemble cast including Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Moriah Brown, Jeanté Godlock, Susan Sarandon, with Dean Norris, and Sam Waterston, and Oprah Winfrey.
Based on the article by Kevin M. Hymel, the film features an original song written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R., with choreography by Debbie Allen. During World War II, 855 women joined the fight to fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail. Faced with discrimination and a country devastated by war, they managed to sort more than 17 million pieces of mail ahead of time."
(Netflix)
CBC and BET show The Porter
Stream full episodes, for free, on CBC Gem: https://watch.cbc.ca/
IT'S BLACK CHRISTMAS TIME
Jennifer Holness is TVO's Ambassador for Black History Month!
"TVO also has a series of amazing Black films playing the entire month and yours truly has been asked to host the programming. This includes introducing the Toni Morrison doc – The Pieces That I Am, the wonderful Steve McQueen Small Axe series and a bunch more! So, check out TVO to catch my FIRE intros, some great films, and Subject of Desire, this weekend again! Yup, Black Christmas Time!"
BLK: An Origin Story, a series that proclaims
Black history is Canadian history
"BLK: An Origin Story is a four part doc series that looks beyond the Underground Railroad to explore the Untold Stories of Black Canadians from the 1600s to the present. These four hours aim to show that Black History is Canadian History."
Canfield Roots
Director: Graeme Bachiu
Genre: Lifestyle
"Efforts to protect an abandoned cemetery containing the graves of freedom seekers reveal stories and experiences of some of the Black families who settled in this part of rural southern Ontario."
Genre: Lifestyle
"Efforts to protect an abandoned cemetery containing the graves of freedom seekers reveal stories and experiences of some of the Black families who settled in this part of rural southern Ontario."
Watch the Preview
Episodes
"Episode 1 You’d never know it but the sleepy hamlet of Canfield in Southern Ontario has an interesting history, one that’s been hidden from view for years. Bill Douglas lived in Canfield most of his life and even he’s surprised when local historians begin to reveal his family’s role in Canfield’s rich history of Black ancestry.
Episode 2 As Bill Douglas visits the BME Church Salem Chapel in St. Catharines to learn more about freedom seekers in Ontario his sister Betty Ann confronts her memories of Canfield. Outside the village an abandoned family cemetery containing the grave site of Harriet Tubman’s niece attracts the attention of local historians.
Episode 3 On a cloudless February night in 1953, former Canfield resident Harry Lee was hung for murder in Hamilton, the last man to to be executed at that city’s notorious Barton Jail. Seventy years later, former residents of Canfield reflects on the impact of Lee’s hanging on the village community while Betty Ann Newman grapples with the memory of the man she called Uncle Harry.
Episode 4 An estate sale in Houston, Texas leads a collector to research an artist with a connection to an abandoned family cemetery in Canfield. As more details rise to the surface, an ancestor of Harriet Tubman’s niece shares her family’s remarkable story and link to this cemetery as well.
Episode 5 Frustrated over delays, a group of residents and descendants meet to discuss what to do over an abandoned family cemetery in Canfield, the final resting place of freedom seekers who settled in Canada in the mid-1800s.
Episode 6 As descendants of freedom seekers gather at an abandoned family cemetery to mark Emancipation Day, they reflect on the struggles and successes of their ancestors. In Spokane, Washington Betty Ann Newman shares the stories and photos of her family in Canfield with her grandchildren." (From tv1 website)
Episode 2 As Bill Douglas visits the BME Church Salem Chapel in St. Catharines to learn more about freedom seekers in Ontario his sister Betty Ann confronts her memories of Canfield. Outside the village an abandoned family cemetery containing the grave site of Harriet Tubman’s niece attracts the attention of local historians.
Episode 3 On a cloudless February night in 1953, former Canfield resident Harry Lee was hung for murder in Hamilton, the last man to to be executed at that city’s notorious Barton Jail. Seventy years later, former residents of Canfield reflects on the impact of Lee’s hanging on the village community while Betty Ann Newman grapples with the memory of the man she called Uncle Harry.
Episode 4 An estate sale in Houston, Texas leads a collector to research an artist with a connection to an abandoned family cemetery in Canfield. As more details rise to the surface, an ancestor of Harriet Tubman’s niece shares her family’s remarkable story and link to this cemetery as well.
Episode 5 Frustrated over delays, a group of residents and descendants meet to discuss what to do over an abandoned family cemetery in Canfield, the final resting place of freedom seekers who settled in Canada in the mid-1800s.
Episode 6 As descendants of freedom seekers gather at an abandoned family cemetery to mark Emancipation Day, they reflect on the struggles and successes of their ancestors. In Spokane, Washington Betty Ann Newman shares the stories and photos of her family in Canfield with her grandchildren." (From tv1 website)
Travels
Follow us to Barbados November 2025
Just in time for an unforgettable trip
Discover the beauty, culture, and vibrant energy of Barbados. Your next adventure starts here!
Escape to Barbados - November 6-10, 2025!
Pack your bags and prepare for an unforgettable adventure in paradise!
Package Inclusions - $2,300 per person
(Based on Double Occupancy/2 per room)
Accommodations
5 Days/4 Nights in a One-Bedroom Suite at The Rockley
– a perfect blend of relaxation and comfort.
Seamless Travel Experience
Roundtrip Airport Transfers – No stress, just pure island vibes!
VIP Fast Track & Meet & Greet – Skip the lines and start your trip in style.
Exclusive Island Activities
Welcome Dinner – Savor the island flavors at our special kickoff event!
Daily Breakfast – Enjoy delicious morning meals to start your day right.
Catamaran Cruise – Set sail on crystal-clear waters with snorkeling, swimming with turtles, an open bar, and a delicious lunch!
Tickets to Two (2) Food & Rum Events – Indulge in the best of Barbados’ world-famous cuisine and cocktails!
Secure Your Spot Today with Just a $250 Deposit!
Flexible monthly payment options available.
Final balance due by October 1st.
BONUS OFFER:
Register by April 30th to save $100 on the package and for a chance to WIN a FREE Roundtrip Economy Airline Ticket!
Spaces are limited—don’t miss this epic island escape! Lock in your spot today!"
Visit website: https://blackdiamondballto.com/barbados/
Just in time for an unforgettable trip
Discover the beauty, culture, and vibrant energy of Barbados. Your next adventure starts here!
Escape to Barbados - November 6-10, 2025!
Pack your bags and prepare for an unforgettable adventure in paradise!
Package Inclusions - $2,300 per person
(Based on Double Occupancy/2 per room)
Accommodations
5 Days/4 Nights in a One-Bedroom Suite at The Rockley
– a perfect blend of relaxation and comfort.
Seamless Travel Experience
Roundtrip Airport Transfers – No stress, just pure island vibes!
VIP Fast Track & Meet & Greet – Skip the lines and start your trip in style.
Exclusive Island Activities
Welcome Dinner – Savor the island flavors at our special kickoff event!
Daily Breakfast – Enjoy delicious morning meals to start your day right.
Catamaran Cruise – Set sail on crystal-clear waters with snorkeling, swimming with turtles, an open bar, and a delicious lunch!
Tickets to Two (2) Food & Rum Events – Indulge in the best of Barbados’ world-famous cuisine and cocktails!
Secure Your Spot Today with Just a $250 Deposit!
Flexible monthly payment options available.
Final balance due by October 1st.
BONUS OFFER:
Register by April 30th to save $100 on the package and for a chance to WIN a FREE Roundtrip Economy Airline Ticket!
Spaces are limited—don’t miss this epic island escape! Lock in your spot today!"
Visit website: https://blackdiamondballto.com/barbados/
Rental Accommodation in Barbados, West Indies
Entire rental unit in Union Hall, Barbados, 2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bath
Entire rental unit in Union Hall, Barbados, 2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bath
Yoga
Check out Oya Heart Warrior's YouTube Channel
Unapologetically Black Somatic Dance Liberation & Sound Bath Rest
Every Sunday at 14:00 p.m. U.K time
Unapologetically Black Somatic Dance Liberation & Sound Bath Rest
Every Sunday at 14:00 p.m. U.K time
Past Black History Events
February 2022
"Explore Early Black History in St. Catharines through the eyes of Freedom Seekers and members of the Black community during the era of the Underground Railroad and beyond. Designed for people of all ages, this virtual program incorporates videos, activities, as well as images and other materials from the Museum Collection."
The Agenda with Steve Paikin on Tuesday February 16, 2021
The Agenda with Steve Paikin discussed a documentary by Hungry Eyes Media "Speakers For The Dead" produced by Jennifer Holness and her husband Sudz Sutherland made in 2001.
Elise Harding-Davis will also be a quest on The Agenda. Elise is the recipient of the Town of Essex 2021 Heritage Preservation Award for her long-time dedication to heritage preservation of Essex County's African Canadian Cemetery Sites (14 to date), seeking an obtaining heritage status from municipal, provincial and federal governments and the promotion and preservation of Black History." Ontario's Hidden Black History
Elise Harding-Davis will also be a quest on The Agenda. Elise is the recipient of the Town of Essex 2021 Heritage Preservation Award for her long-time dedication to heritage preservation of Essex County's African Canadian Cemetery Sites (14 to date), seeking an obtaining heritage status from municipal, provincial and federal governments and the promotion and preservation of Black History." Ontario's Hidden Black History
"This documentary reveals some of the hidden history of Blacks in Canada. In the 1930s in rural Ontario, a farmer buried the tombstones of a Black cemetery to make way for a potato patch. In the 1980s, descendants of the original settlers, Black and White, came together to restore the cemetery, but there were hidden truths no one wanted to discuss. Deep racial wounds were opened. Scenes of the cemetery excavation, interviews with residents and re-enactments—including one of a baseball game where a broken headstone is used for home plate—add to the film's emotional intensity.
Note: This film deals with mature subject matter." (From the National Film Board of Canada website)
Note: This film deals with mature subject matter." (From the National Film Board of Canada website)
The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) is a registered Canadian charity, dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of Black History and heritage.
- BlackedOutHistory Interview on Global News with Natasha Henry
- Interview on Breakfast Television with Mawuli Chai (From Ontario Black History Society website)
#BlackedOutHistory
"In Canada, history is only ever taught one way.
To prove this, we blacked out all of the non-Black history from a 255-page history textbook.
Only 13 pages remained. To demand change, use #BlackedOutHistory."
(From Ontario Black History Society website)
To prove this, we blacked out all of the non-Black history from a 255-page history textbook.
Only 13 pages remained. To demand change, use #BlackedOutHistory."
(From Ontario Black History Society website)
2021 Black History Month Kick-Off
177 King Street East
Inside the WISH Centre
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Call (519) 352-3565
Inside the WISH Centre
Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Call (519) 352-3565
The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society, a Non-Profit Organization, is dedicated to the discovery, research, and preservation of the Black history found in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and the city of Chatham.
The purpose of the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) is to preserve the historical significance of the former Guelph British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church building by creating a cultural, historical and social centre within Guelph and Wellington County
Fourth Friday at the Guelph Civic Museum
"Featuring a musical performance by Aisha Barrow. Lifeandthetribe is the new R&b and Pop project from singer/songwriter Aisha Barrow. Drawing from diverse influences Lifeandthetribe has a bold, fresh, and new sound that that can be best described as an amalgamation of Jazz, R&B, and Pop. After the successful release of their debut EP, Eye-sha: Extended, Lifeandthetribe is currently in process of recording their first full length album, slated for release in 2021."
2410 Central Ave, Windsor, ON N8W 4J3
(519) 945-0213
(519) 945-0213
WINDSOR WEST INDIAN ASSOCIATION
To provoke brotherhood, morals, social, cultural and educational well-being of all people of the West Indies to enhance and foster good relationship between people of the West Indies and the wider community.
To provoke brotherhood, morals, social, cultural and educational well-being of all people of the West Indies to enhance and foster good relationship between people of the West Indies and the wider community.
Past Emancipation Day Events
Owen Sound Emancipation Festival Aug. 4-6th 2023
160th Annual Emancipation Festival
July 29 - 31, 2022
"August 1, 2022 will be the second Emancipation Day since Bill M-36 was unanimously passed in the House of Commons to officially recognize this significant day across Canada.
The Emancipation Festival originally called the Emancipation Day Picnic commemorates the British Commonwealth Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834. Since 1862, descendants of those who escaped slavery and found freedom and peace in Canada, gathering in Owen Sound`s beautiful Harrison Park and other places such as the Grey Roots Museum and Archives over the Civic holiday weekend. This is a time for fellowship and reflection with family and community, to share memories, and keep the picnic and other traditions alive for future generations." (From Emancipation Festival website)
The Emancipation Festival originally called the Emancipation Day Picnic commemorates the British Commonwealth Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834. Since 1862, descendants of those who escaped slavery and found freedom and peace in Canada, gathering in Owen Sound`s beautiful Harrison Park and other places such as the Grey Roots Museum and Archives over the Civic holiday weekend. This is a time for fellowship and reflection with family and community, to share memories, and keep the picnic and other traditions alive for future generations." (From Emancipation Festival website)
Past Lectures
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Listen here
Past Workshops
A Conversation About Woodstock Wainer Family History
"Join Wainer and Cuffe descendant George Wortham and historian Mary Beth Start for a geographically wide-ranging conversation about the Wainer family and their connections to New York State and Upper Canada. The Wainer family became closely intertwined with Paul Cuffe and his family through marriage, business partnerships and property ownership. The Wainers helped Paul Cuffe build his connections with the Native American community. The Wainer farm is located on Drift Road, Westport. This conversation will focus on Wainer family members who, in the early 1800s, moved to New York State and further afield to Ontario, Canada.
George Hugh Wortham Jr. has collected Wainer family stories, copies of deeds, cemetery locations, family member names, and relationships to pass on to the next generation. George was born and raised in New Bedford and is a Wainer and Cuffe descendant. George moved to Syracuse to start his long sales career and found himself living 30 miles east of his 3rd great-granduncle, Gardner Wainer, and 30 miles west of his 3rd great-grandfather Michael (Micah) Wainer Jr.
Mary Beth Start will contribute information on the families of Thomas and Gardner Wainer focusing on the period following their move to Upper Canada in the late 1820s and early 1830s. She will explore the primary source material available and some of the details that these documents reveal of the Wainers’ experiences in Upper Canada. She will also provide some information on the known descendants of Thomas and Gardner Wainer after 1850.
Mary Beth Start is from Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. Her interest in local history and the Wainer family began as curator of the Norwich and District Historical Society. This interest continued into her graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario where her research focused on the construction of local historical narrative in a rural Canadian Quaker community. She now farms with her family in the Township of Norwich." (From the Westport Historical Society website)
George Hugh Wortham Jr. has collected Wainer family stories, copies of deeds, cemetery locations, family member names, and relationships to pass on to the next generation. George was born and raised in New Bedford and is a Wainer and Cuffe descendant. George moved to Syracuse to start his long sales career and found himself living 30 miles east of his 3rd great-granduncle, Gardner Wainer, and 30 miles west of his 3rd great-grandfather Michael (Micah) Wainer Jr.
Mary Beth Start will contribute information on the families of Thomas and Gardner Wainer focusing on the period following their move to Upper Canada in the late 1820s and early 1830s. She will explore the primary source material available and some of the details that these documents reveal of the Wainers’ experiences in Upper Canada. She will also provide some information on the known descendants of Thomas and Gardner Wainer after 1850.
Mary Beth Start is from Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. Her interest in local history and the Wainer family began as curator of the Norwich and District Historical Society. This interest continued into her graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario where her research focused on the construction of local historical narrative in a rural Canadian Quaker community. She now farms with her family in the Township of Norwich." (From the Westport Historical Society website)
Tribute piece for Wilma Morrison
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
"The City of Niagara Falls Recreation and Culture Department invites Canadian Black Artists or Black Art Collectives working in any medium to submit one final design concept for a temporary 2D artwork to be digitally reproduced (printed) and installed on the exterior of the Niagara Falls Exchange. This project will commemorate the distinguished and passionate achievements of Wilma Leone Morrison in preserving the history and positive roles the Black Canadians played in Niagara Falls and beyond. The successful artist will receive $5000 plus HST if applicable." (From Niagara Falls Canada website)
Quotes:
Quote: “If the only time you think of me as a scientist is during Black History Month, then I must not be doing my job as a scientist.” ~ Neil deGrasse Tyson ~
(American astrophysicist, planetary scientist, author & science communicator)
(American astrophysicist, planetary scientist, author & science communicator)