February is Black History Month and community organizations around the region are hosting a variety of different events to help bring awareness to the significant contributions Black Canadians have made to not only the city but the country.
Locally, the month kicked off with a virtual celebration of Black history, art, music, and culture on Friday featuring music, drumming, dance, and spoken-word performances from local Black artists and highlighted Black-owned businesses in Simcoe County.
Art exhibits, panel discussions, and learning opportunities are also scheduled to take place throughout the month, however organizers are encouraging people to go beyond Black History Month and continue to learn about the stories, achievements, and contributions of Black people all year round. Click here to register.
The Barrie Public Library will also be hosting a variety of events and programming throughout the month, including Black History 365. The online program will help participants learn about Black history 365 days of the year and celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians. The library's website will also feature videos, educational activities and reading lists celebrating Black History.
Shelly Skinner, founder and president of UPlift Black, the local advocacy organization that helped curate the initiative, told BarrieToday that work on the initiative began in 2020, adding they knew it would serve as a good opportunity to share and educate the community 365 days a year.
“We have had great working relationships with local libraries in Barrie and Innisfil. There's been a lot of advocacy there to connect with our organization to help educate the public, create opportunities and show allyship,” she said. "That’s why I love libraries. They’re really committed to growth and education and community work. It’s been a great opportunity and a pleasure to work with the Barrie Public Library.
"We needed to talk about what was happening here locally as well. It’s been such a great resource for so many community members who may not have had the opportunity to be educated about what was available or didn’t have access based on their own network or social circle. It’s a great resource," Skinner added.
The library is slated to host a variety of fun and informative online programs for people of all ages, from story times for kids and adults and movies to opportunities to simply listen and learn as they celebrate the diversity of Simcoe County. Residents interested in furthering their learning are encouraged to check out books and resources featuring diverse voices, cultures and experiences.
Skinner noted UPlift Black is involved in a number of events around the city, but called an online exhibition entitled Black and Canadian: Stories of Service — the organizations biggest initiative this month. Skinner called the event their "baby" adding the organization has been working on the exhibition for quite a while alongside the BAND Gallery, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting, documenting and showcasing the artistic and cultural contributions of Black artists and cultural workers in Canada and internationally.
The exhibit, she explained, helps tell the story of Black Canadians who served in times of war.
"We have an artist who has taken these black and white photos and added colour to them to give visibility to the melanin, to the darkness of their skin and to the fact that they were Black. A lot of people have seen photos and didn’t necessarily know that there were Black people who fought in the wars alongside many different Canadians. It’s a pretty impactful project.”
On Saturday, Feb. 12 from 2-4:30 p.m. UPlift Black will host a Virtual Talk: Archives & Documentation with guest speakers Dr. Cheryl Thompson and Jane Cooper Wilson.
The Simcoe County Museum will host a virtual lecture series throughout February, which will feature expert guest speakers and local historians. Each lecture will explore a different aspect of the long history of Black people in Simcoe County and the Black Canadian experience in general. The series is free to join and both individuals and groups can attend. Visit museum.simcoe.ca to register.
