Celebrating Black History Month at Bond Academy
February 28th, 2021
Throughout the month of February, the staff and students at Bond Academy including elementary and secondary were celebrating Black History Month, by exploring, learning, recognizing, and appreciating the contributions of our African and Caribbean Canadians in Canadian history, society and culture, in the past and the present. Teachers and students also were referencing and acknowledging the contributions of Black leaders in the United States.
During the whole February, Black History Month was cited in all of Bond classrooms. Every class at Bond was focus on Black History in February, obviously at an age-appropriate level. All teachers were encouraged to find grade/subject relevant resources for their classes, and they were sharing those resources with the schools.
The Principals were strongly encouraging everyone to focus as much as possible on Black History in Canada, and the successes and contributions of Black Canadians, as well as the challenges facing due to anti-black racism. The principals realized that there were many go to names in the US, “but we need to develop an awareness that racism is not only a US problem and that we have many success stories in Canada as well, perhaps not as high a profile, but we can work to change that”.
The principals also were encouraging focusing on individuals in Canada that faced challenges and overcame them and were successful despite those challenges, and as well, focusing on the ones who had potential but were never able to be successful due to their colour is important in developing an understanding of anti-black racism.
Resources for Teaching and Learning
1. The story of the community of Amber Valley
Learn the story of the community of Amber Valley, commemorated in this year’s Canada Post Black History Month stamps. It was one of several Alberta communities settled by Black people in the early 20th century, and the furthest north.
2. Discover how Sylvia Starklearned to Read in Secret
Discover how Sylvia Starklearned to read in secret during a time that Black children were forbidden to read or write in the state of Missouri. Born into enslavement, Stark emigrated to British Columbia with more than 600 Black Americans in 1858.
3. Listen to Lester Brown’s Testimony
Lester Brown was a rifleman for the Queen’s Own Rifles during the Second World War. Listen to his testimony as he describes being injured days after landing in Normandy and discover more in The Memory Project’s Black Canadian Veterans gallery.
4. Africville
Africville was founded in the mid-18th century but was demolished by the City of Halifax in the 1960s in what many said was an act of racism. For many people, Africville represents the oppression faced by Black Canadians, and the efforts to right historic wrongs.
5. First Black woman in Canada to be interventional cardiologist on being a 'double minority'.
6. Slide of Willie O'Ree
7. Black History Resource - CBC
