Today marks the beginning of Black History Month across Canada, and African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia.
Today marks the beginning of Black History Month across Canada, and African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia.
This occasion creates space for all of us to reflect on the many contributions Black Canadians and African Nova Scotians have made while acknowledging a difficult history that has too often been characterized by examples of anti-Black racial discrimination.
My hometown of Pictou County, for example, is connected to two important pieces of Canadian history that for too long were hidden from public attention as a result of systemic racism.
To help share the stories of Canada’s Black Canadians, I was honoured to partake in two ceremonies this past year: the Prime Minister’s formal apology to the No. 2 Construction Battalion, and a plaque unveiling at the site of the former Roseland Theatre that formally recognized Viola Desmond as a person of National Historical Significance.
For those who may be unaware, the No. 2 Construction Battalion was the first – and only – all Black battalion in Canada’s history. They were founded in the Town of Pictou and played a monumental role in Canada’s success, and that of our allies, during the First World War. The brave men of the Battalion fought not only for their country, but also for their right to do so. Unfortunately, they were not given a hero’s welcome upon their return, and only recently, as a result of advocacy from the African Nova Scotian community, were they granted the attention they so richly deserved for their efforts.
Another key figure in our nation’s history is Nova Scotia’s own Viola Desmond, who bravely refused to sit outside of the “whites only” section of the Roseland Theatre.
She was arrested, charged, tried and convicted on the unconscionable basis that she had underpaid by one cent for the seat she took in the theatre.
I was honoured to join community members last year to recognize her efforts to promote racial equality at a plaque unveiling outside of the former Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, that formally recognized her as a person of National Historical Significance to Canada.
Viola Desmond’s contributions to Canada were also recognized when she became the face of our nation’s $10 bill, which was selected as the winner of the International Banknote Design of the Year Award!
As we begin sharing stories that celebrate the history and contributions of African Nova Scotians and Black Canadians, we must continue to acknowledge those instances where we fell short as a nation to ensure that every Canadian has the opportunity to succeed in Canada.