February is Black History Month! You can celebrate, discuss, and learn about Canadian Black heritage and culture with children by accessing multiple resources. Black Canadians have helped shape Canadian society and celebrating their contributions raises awareness and pays tribute to Black heritage and human rights. Here is a list of resources to help you get started:

Photo credit: 123rf/Wavebreak Media Ltd.

Attend family friendly local Black History Month events:

• The Toronto Public Library has a number of Black History Month events and reading links. You can also browse through 16,000 books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines, Black and Caribbean historical and cultural experience, with a special emphasis on Canadian content.
• A sample of the offerings include:
  • Imagine a World: Nalo Hopkinson and Lateef Martin with Karen Lord
  • Black History 2021 – Children’s Reading List
  • Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection
  • I’m a little bit of country, she’s a little bit of “Bach?” Plan a watch party and watch a pre-recorded performance of Celebrations and Revelations 2021. Four young Black Canadian artists performed the music of Black composers from the 17th-21st century you’ve discovered to celebrate Black History Month with your family in the comments below!
• The University of Toronto is celebrating throughout February with events on all three campuses. Some of these include:
  • Student Life UTSC Black History Month
  • Read about Celebrating Black women in STEM on our current students and alumni at U of T Engineering
  • The Medium at UTM wrote an article Reimagining Black History Month

Explore festivals, museums or archives to learn about Black History:

• Trace your ancestry at the Archives of Ontario City of Toronto Archives.
• Get your #blackedouthistory of history and leaders of tomorrow with the Ontario Black History Society.
• Kuumba is BACK! Toronto’s longest running Black History Month festival, returns for its 26th edition to celebrate the Black community standing in our Blackness.

Watch (stream) shows on Black History:

• It’s cold this month, but CBC has the hottest films, movies, and documentaries for you to view on THE BLACK STORIES COLLECTION.
• Vous parlez français ? RADIO-CANADA SOULIGNE LE MOIS DE L’HISTOIRE DES NOIRS.

Educational Videos

• BLACK HISTORY IN CANADA A SELECT TIMELINE
• Deeply Rooted: A black family’s history as 7th-generation Canadians

Share additional resources you’ve discovered to celebrate Black History Month with your family in the comments below!