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A wide variety of events are planned throughout the city of St. Catharines in February to celebrate Black History Month, which is held every February, offering an opportunity for everyone to learn the stories and the many important contributions of Black Canadians.
Residents are invited to attend a launch event and flag raising in Council Chambers, third floor at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 11:30 a.m. Scheduled speakers will include Mayor Mat Siscoe and local historian Rochelle Bush, as well as a performance by Caribbean drummer Chris Fire.
An art exhibit – Recontextualizing Black History Through Art – presented in partnership with Future Black Female, Blackowned 905 and the St. Catharines Downtown Association, will also be unveiled on the second floor of City Hall and will remain displayed for the entire month.
The City is also pleased to support a variety show, which is being led by Future Black Female, Blackowned 905 and the St. Catharines Downtown Association. It will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Robertson Hall in the Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre, located at 85 Church Street, St. Catharines. The variety show is a free, family friendly event, that features the talents of the diverse Black communities living within our city and region. Residents will enjoy performances featuring music, dance and spoken word artists. The event will also feature a market showcasing Black businesses, along with an opportunity to indulge in Afrocentric cuisine.
“The City of St. Catharines is proud to partner with Black-led organizations in our community to collaborate and offer programming to our residents. We look forward to gathering with the community to celebrate Black History Month and invite the public to share in that celebration and learning with us,” said Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Shannon McHugh. “We are excited to learn more about the heritage, traditions, culture and history of Black Canadians, especially the rich history here in St. Catharines.”
The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre also has a variety of events to celebrate Black History Month.
Tours of the “Last Stop: In their Own Words” exhibit will happen on Saturdays – Feb. 3, Feb.10, Feb. 17 and Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The one-hour tour, designed for adults, looks at what it meant to be a Freedom Seeker in St. Catharines and explores the theme that being free from enslavement did not mean social equality.
Follow the museum’s Black History Month Blog Series every Sunday in February. This year’s theme is “The Things We Do Together”. You can find the series at stcatharinesmuseumblog.com.
PD Day programming on Friday, Feb. 16, as well as Family Day on Monday, Feb. 19 will include Black history. For more information about the St. Catharines Museum and its Black History Month activities, visit stcatharinesmuseum.ca.
The St. Catharines Public Library will also host programming to celebrate Black History Month throughout February. For more information, visit myscpl.ca.
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