Each February, the City of Toronto is proud to produce and support events and exhibits during Black History Month, inviting the public to explore and celebrate the heritage, traditions and culture of Black Canadians.
In 1979, Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to proclaim Black History Month through the efforts of many individuals and organizations such as the Ontario Black History Society.
Black History Month is an opportunity for the City of Toronto to recognize the contributions that Black Canadians make to the life of Toronto in such areas as education, medicine, art, culture, public service, economic development, politics and human rights.
The City annually marks Black History Month and works continually throughout the year on the goals defined by the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, which was endorsed by City Council in 2017.
On view until December 15
Explore Ekow Nimako Studios’ exhibition at the Clark Centre for the Arts which includes an expansive reimagining of the mysterious sea voyage of Mansa Abu Bakr II, the visionary ninth ruler of the medieval empire of Mali, using over 500,000 black LEGO® elements.
See milestones in Canadian Black history.
Discover history through archival evidence of Toronto’s Black population in the City Archives.
See recommendations on how to research Black genealogy.
Learn about Dr. Rita Cox and the Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection at Toronto Public Library.
Explore Caribbean Connection: One Man’s Crusade, an exhibit looking at Donald Moore, a community leader and civil rights activist who fought to change Canada’s exclusionary immigration laws.
Read about some incredible women – like Salome Bey and Mary Ann Shadd Cary – who have made important contributions to Toronto’s history.
Dive deeper into to the life and work of Mary Ann Shadd Cary, the first Black woman to publish a newspaper in North America and her influence on Black journalism.
Browse lists of fiction and non-fiction ebooks available through the Toronto Public Library on OverDrive:
Explore unique items from the Museum shop that celebrate Black culture and significant Black figures in history.
Watch videos created by Black artists for Toronto History Museums.
Watch Black firefighters speak candidly about Black History Month and their experiences in the Toronto Fire Services.
Social media users can follow the following City accounts for images and stories of significant Black figures to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth: