February is Black History Month: The UPEI Robertson Library celebrates!
Every year in February, Black History Month is celebrated in Canada. Black History Month was created to provide an opportunity to share and learn about peoples of African ancestry, but also recognize there remains work to be done to fully integrate black culture, history, and achievements into the Canadian fabric.
The 2022 national theme for Black History Month is: “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day,” which focuses on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada. The Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island (BCSPEI) has selected the theme, “The New Black: Celebrating and Educating”. Both themes were inspired by the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (2015–2024), and challenges all of us to reflect on current issues faced by Black communities, and to think critically about how we can stop discrimination.
The Robertson Library at UPEI is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of initiatives and activities. Installed in the library’s foyer is a display featuring books on the history of the Black community in Canada and works of fiction by contemporary Black Canadian authors.
Over the past year, PEI Community Reads has been meeting online monthly to discuss The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power, by award-winning activist and journalist Desmond Cole. Discussion questions and resources will be posted on the group’s Facebook through the month.
On March 2, at 7 pm, PEI Community Reads and The Bookmark will host a virtual event with Cole. This event is free, but registration is required at https://bit.ly/32I8Sos. PEI Reads is a joint initiative of the UPEI Robertson Library, the UPEI International Student Office, the UPEI Student Union, the PEI Public Library Service, Charlottetown Rotary Club, the Rotaract Club of UPEI, and the Black Cultural Society of PEI.
The Library will also post information on its social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) throughout the month, including contemporary Black Canadian authors. For information about other initiatives and activities, visit https://library.upei.ca/node/5701.
To learn about BCSPEI activities during Black History Month, including a virtual panel discussion co-hosted with the UPEI Student Union about Black student engagement and well-being, visit their BHM web page.
