Every February, people across Canada celebrate Black History Month to honour the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities.
It is also an opportunity for listening, learning and acquiring a new understanding of the importance of celebrating Black History Month.
In December 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month in Canada following a motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine.
Today, Black History Month continues to be commemorated through festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present. Canada’s 2021 theme for Black History month is: “The Future is Now”. Learn more about Black History Month in Canada here.
We can’t talk about Black History Month without acknowledging the ongoing systemic racism within the social services sector. The accounts of racism in the child welfare system and child and youth services and the events of the past year amplify the importance of the anti-racism and anti-oppression movement within our sector. This is a critical time for change.
As a sector, we are committed to change through provincial initiatives like One Vision One Voice (OVOV), a program through the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) that was formed to address the overrepresentation and experiences of disparities faced by African Canadians after coming into contact with the child welfare system.
As an Agency, we realize that we have not done enough to develop and implement a Race Equity Practice Framework. We recognize that while it will take time to get it right, we are committed to the process.
Under the guidance of our Anti-Oppression Practice (AOP) committee, NEOFACS is actively working to embed anti-oppression values, statements and practices in all aspects of our service delivery. We welcome the opportunities to learn and work to improve our services and support for Black children, youth and families in the Districts of Cochrane and Timiskaming.
We invite you to join us in learning more about Black History in our community, in our province, and throughout Canada.
The resource list below offers some resources that may be helpful in learning about Black History and anti-Black Racism.
- Black History Canada from The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Ontario Black Historical Society
- Library and Archives Canada Black History Month
- Black, African, Caribbean Heritage Educator’s Interactive Choice Board
- Digital bilingual interactive resource “Periodic Table of Canadian Black History / Tableau périodique de l'histoire des Noirs au Canada” from Parents For Diversity that highlights different topics such as Black government figures, entrepreneurs, LGBTQ+ figures and other Black Canadians who were the first in their field to do something.
- OACAS, One Vision One Voice - Three things you need to know about the newly launched OVOV Practice Framework 3
- Kids Help Phone, Anti-Black racism: Support for Black people and allies