Pan-African flag flies over UPEI during Black History Month
The Pan-African flag was raised at UPEI on Monday, February 3, to mark Black History Month by Dr. Greg Naterer, vice-president academic and research at UPEI; Jessica Ekeleme, president of the African Students Association; and Tamara Steele, executive director of the Black Cultural Society of Prince Edward Island.
Members of the UPEI and broader communities, including Dr. Wendy Rodgers, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI, attended the flag-raising. The flag will fly on the campus for the duration of Black History Month.
The Pan-African flag was created in 1920 to represent people of the African Diaspora and to symbolize black liberation in the United States. The colours of the flag are red, representing the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry and shed for liberation; black, representing the people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and green, representing the colour of the vibrant vegetation and abundant natural resources of Africa.
Black History Month was created to provide an opportunity to share, learn, and honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities, but also to recognize that work remains to be done to fully integrate Black culture, history, and achievements into the Canadian fabric.
Black History Month is being celebrated on campus through other events and activities. The UPEI Student Union kicked off the month with a celebration of African and Caribbean heritage through food, music, and culture in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre on the morning of February 4. It will host an AfroFusion pub (19+), featuring DJ Alfred and DJ Selecta Chevron, at the Fox & Crow on February 6 from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am.
The UPEI Department of Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Human Rights is recognizing Black History Month with an educational display titled “Not Peripheral” on display outside McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, until February 20. The display paints a picture of Black history by highlighting Black speculative art and Black people who fall at intersecting marginalized identities. Identities that are not often highlighted or celebrated by non-Black folks, for example, Black-Indigenous people, Black Latinx people, Black Muslims, Black Palestinians, Black queers, Black folks from the Global South, and Black folks with disabilities.
The Robertson Library is also marking Black History Month with a display celebrating Black Canadians in its lobby, and it invites the campus community to check out a book on Black Canadians in history, education, or literature, or find e-books and other online resources in OneSearch.
The Black Cultural Society’s theme for Black History Month 2025 is “Redefining Success: Empowering Black Artists, Students, and Entrepreneurs,” which resonates with UPEI’s core values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. The society has developed an excellent lineup of events for the month. Everyone is welcome to take part in these events.
