City to Launch Black History Month with Art Exhibit and Celebration Event

The City of St. Catharines invites residents to celebrate the start of Black History Month with a special launch event and the unveiling of an art exhibit at City Hall.

The City will host the launch event on Feb. 3, at 11:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall. The event will include remarks from Mayor Mat Siscoe as well as performances from acclaimed jazz, soul and pop artist Juliet Dunn, and a poetry reading from Elzhraa Akasha. Following the program, a flag-raising ceremony will take place on the front lawn of City Hall.

“The City is honoured to collaborate with local partners to celebrate Black History Month in a meaningful way,” said Shannon McHugh, Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “The launch event and art exhibit offer opportunities for education, reflection, and celebration as we highlight the contributions and stories of Black Canadians.”

Following the flag-raising ceremony, residents are invited back inside City Hall to the second floor for the unveiling of the art exhibit–Reclaiming Narratives: A Black Resistance, presented in partnership with Future Black Female, Blackowned 905, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, St. Catharines Public Library, and the St. Catharines Downtown Association. This exhibition shares stories as a mode of resistance against the erasure, silencing, and marginalizing of the Black experience. The featured artworks challenge dominant perspectives and bring forward stories that have been marginalized or erased.

The exhibit will remain on display on the second floor of City Hall from Feb. 3 to April 1 and can be viewed during normal business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  An extension of the exhibit will also be on view at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in the Joy Williams Lobby.

“When we reflect on the importance and relevance of Black History Month to all communities across Canada, we see why we need diverse representations of the histories and stories of Black people,” said Dr. Tapo Chimbganda, founder and executive director of Future Black Female. “What better way than through art, a medium that appeals to all of us.”

A variety of other events and programs are also taking place in St. Catharines to mark Black History Month.

Variety Show (Feb. 8, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)

Future Black Female, Blackowned 905, the First Ontario Performing Arts Centre and the St. Catharines Downtown Association are hosting a free, family-friendly variety show at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre – 250 St. Paul Street. The event will celebrate the talents of Niagara’s Black and Afro-Caribbean communities in a fun and varied presentation. Vendors will be on-site in Algoma Lobby in the afternoon.

St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre has several programs and offerings that highlight Black History in our community.

On the Liberty Line: Early Black History and the Underground Railroad in St. Catharines. Book 90-minute tours for grades six to 10 where students will trace the journey to freedom through a history of slavery and emancipation, racism and prejudice while exploring the lives of St. Catharines’ first African Canadian settlers in this interactive program. More at stcatharines.ca/MuseumPrograms.

Pop-Up Exhibit Rentals: Rent a pop-up exhibit on the Last Stop: The Underground Railroad in St. Catharines for your classroom, library, or common learning space for $29.95. Appropriate for grades four to 12. Meet significant individuals with local connections to the story of the Underground Railroad, including Frederick Douglass, Mary-Ann Shadd, Anthony Burns, and Harriet Tubman. Visit stcatharines.ca/MuseumPrograms for more information.

Museum Blog Series: The museum will offer a new blog series in February related to the experience of freedom seekers in St. Catharines during the Underground Railroad period. Find the series at stcatharinesmuseumblog.com.

St. Catharines Public Library

Discovering Niagara’s Freedom Trail (Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.): This presentation by historian Rochelle Bush will explore the network of sites and notable figures connected to the Underground Railroad in Niagara. The event will take place in the program room, at the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch. Register at stcatharines.ca/LibraryFreedomTrail.

Art Exhibition (on view Feb. 3 to 28): Visit the central branch of St. Catharines Public Library at 54 Church Street and celebrate art created by kindergarten students from across Niagara. The art exhibit, coordinated by Future Black Female, can be found in the atrium display. While visiting the Central Library, be sure to check out the Norval Johnson Heritage Centre collection which includes several books, vertical files, and other resources that document primarily local, Canadian, and U.S. Black History. 

For more information about Black History Month events visit the Downtown Association’s website at stcatharines.ca/BlackHistory.