February is Black History Month – a month when all are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities and to open our eyes to Black Canadian excellence, achievements, and contributions.
Black History in Canada
Black Canadians have been a part of shaping Canada’s heritage since the arrival of navigator, Mathieu Da Costa, in the early 1600s. The role of Black Canadians has largely been ignored as a part of Canada’s history. There is little mention that some of the Loyalists who came here after the American Revolution and settled in the Maritimes were people of African descent, nor the fact that many soldiers of African descent made many sacrifices in wartime as far back as the War of 1812. And few people in Canada are aware of the fact that African people were once enslaved here, or of how those who fought enslavement helped to lay the foundation of Canada’s diverse and inclusive society.
Black History Month is a time to learn more about these Canadian stories and the many other important contributions that Black Canadians have made to the history and continued growth of this country.
It wasn’t until 1995 that the House of Commons officially listed and recognized February as Black History Month in a motion carried by the Honourable Jean Augustine.
Whose History is it Anyway?
While we often try to encapsulate a complex, rich, and layered history of a community for one month each year, it is important not to over-simplify with cliches and celebratory images. The School of Kinesiology recommends this brief video, titled “Whose History is it Anyway?: Reflecting on the Place of (Black Canadians’) Past Sport Narratives in the Mainstream,” with permission from our Human Kinetics colleague, Associate Professor Ornella Nzindukiyimana, at St. Francis Xavier University.
The School of Kinesiology salutes the KUS BIPOC Committee’s Efforts to Take Action
In the UBC School of Kinesiology, undergraduate student Shalom Howe (BKin 21), founded the KUS BIPOC Committee in 2020. The committee began in hopes of bringing Black students, Indigenous students and students of colour together in Kinesiology. The Committee has created digital platforms where they curate online resources such as podcasts and mental health resources for BIPOC students and produce social and educational events for Black communities and communities of colour.
Read BKIN student Zoë Balbosa’s stirring personal story: Unapologetically Black
In accordance with our commitment to diversity, the School of Kinesiology encourages students, staff, faculty, and alumni to take this time for self-reflection and education about Black history and the Black experience. Demonstrating active allyship means to commit to the unlearning and relearning of worldviews and perceptions that may be contributing to cycles of oppression. It includes reflecting on unconscious biases and self-correction. This is not an easy task, but is important for true self-awareness and growth.
In celebration of Black History Month, the KUS BIPOC Committee produced a highly successful event titled, the Black Health and Wellness Professional Panel.
The KUS BIPOC Committee states that as a result of a lack of racial diversity amongst the faculty in Canadian Kinesiology programs, finding role models becomes increasingly challenging for racialized students. Many students of colour feel discouraged to pursue career options related to Kinesiology post-graduation. As a primary outcome of the event, the KUS BIPOC hoped to encourage students of colour to pursue careers related to Kinesiology after seeing and engaging with a representation of Black professionals working within the health and wellness arena. Consequently, the panel showcased Black individuals within the health and wellness industry; creating a space to share their contributions and achievements. It also promoted discourse revolving around the inequities that Black individuals face in this industry. The panelists provided advice to those transitioning into the workplace and introduced culturally sensitive practices while encouraging allyship and solidarity among non-Black members of the audience. The event provided an opportunity to network and build relations among students, faculty, and panelists.
The four inspiring panelists included:
- Christopher Applwhaite, Family Medicine Physician, BSc, MSc. P.T, M.D.
- Clayton Cross, Certified Athletic Therapist, S&C Coach, Co-owner COAST, B.Kin.
- Kendra Coupland, Yoga Grandmaster, Meditation Coach, Transformational Trauma-Informed Yoga.
- Lolade Shipeolu, Resident Physician at the University of Ottawa, BA, M.D.
Ways to Engage
- Check out events and stories that celebrate and recognize Black history at UBC and beyond
- Explore what to watch, read and listen to learn more about Black history in Canada
- Explore a few notable moments in the the history of Black people in BC
- Sign-up for the next Through the Lens workshop on “Anti-Blackness after 2020”
- Move from intention to action to become personally and institutionally antiracist – explore the anti-racist action calendar, Black History 2021 edition
Of Interest
