In December of 1995, the Parliament of Canada passed a motion officially designating February as Black History Month. This initiative was an acknowledgement of the long and rich history of Black Canadians and their contributions to Canada and the world. Every year Canadians are invited to take part in the festivities that commemorate the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present, during Black History Month. This is a time to celebrate their many contributions which have allowed Canada to become the multicultural and diverse nation it is today.
Below are some very helpful links that will assist you with bringing Black history into your classroom. Some sites contain lesson plans, others are informational.
The Black Canadian Experience in Ontario 1834-1914
The Archives of Ontario is pleased to introduce this exhibit: a joint project of the Archives of Ontario and the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS).
Black History:
Recognizing Contributions to
Quebec and Canada Ancient African civilizations, traditional story telling, colonialism, slavery, the underground railroad, significant sacrifices and contributions of Black Canadians, Black leaders, racial attitudes.
Educational Purpose of the Canadian Black Heritage in the Third Millennium
The Canadian Black Heritage in the Third Millennium Web Portal was created by educator/school administrator Gary Pieters, as an online resource for educators, researchers, writers, students and people researching Black History from a Canadian Perspective.
Canada: Terminus of the Underground Railroad
This lesson describes how 30,000 runaway slaves, who traveled the Underground Railroad north in their
search for freedom, settled the northern shore of Lake Erie in what is now the Canadian province of
Ontario during the nineteenth century.
Who's Who in Black Canada
This list of the 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in America can be seen as a celebration of what's been achieved by finally reaching the corner office
Canada Noir
There are literary dozens of African-American directories, content providers, and portals. CanadaNoir is a mixture of the three. We want the ideas, creativity, and literature of Afro-Canadians read by as many people as possible.
African Canadian Online
Our site provides information on African Canadian artists and their work, links to other Canadian resources on the web, and updates about the activities of the Centre
African Canadian History
The material is directly compatible with the History of Québec and Canada program (History 414). Many of the items included can also serve as valuable content in a variety of subject areas and grade levels.
Some Missing Pages
The Black Community in the History of Quebec and Canada
North American Black Historical Museum
Discover Black history in thought-provoking exhibits and story-soaked surroundings. Journey through a home of escaped slaves
and a church that began lives of freedom.
John Freeman Walls Historic Site
The development of the John Freeman Walls Historic Site began in 1976 when Dr. Bryan Walls, a Windsor dentist and great-great grandson of John, began four years of genealogical research, which culminated in the publication of the documented novel "THE ROAD THAT LED TO SOMEWHERE".
Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site
Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site takes its name from Harriet Beecher Stowe's successful 1852 anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, featuring a character named Tom (loosely based on Josiah Henson). Henson's own story is told in his autobiography, first published in 1849.
The Underground Railroad
The year is 1860. Nearly four million enslaved African Americans live in the South. Follow one of these slaves along the Underground Railroad, a secret network of hiding places and brave people who helped runaway slaves reach freedom.
Enslaved Africans in Upper Canada
We do not know who these people are. They had their portraits taken sometime during the 1870s or 1880s. The older people might have been slaves; perhaps the younger ones were descendants of slaves.
