Black History Month opening ceremony at City Hall
By Kavel Clarke on February 7, 2023
February is Black History Month, a time to come together and celebrate Black Canadians’ achievements and contributions throughout history.
Today, The National Black Coalition of Canada (NBCC) and the City of Edmonton mark the start of Black History Month at City Hall with live music and performances under the theme “Ours to Tell.” The event includes keynote speaker Dale Mcfee and performances by The Melisizwe Brothers.
The NBCC organizes, supports, and collaborates with other groups to inform and educate many about the importance of Canada’s Black communities.
“Sometimes in the education system, we aren’t seen in the textbooks, we aren’t seen in the curriculum, we are not even seen in the classroom. So it’s important for us to celebrate these amazing events and Black History Month so we can continue to push throughout March, April, May, June, July, the rest of the months throughout the year,” says Andrew Parker, Co-founder of Black Teacher’s Association Alberta.
As a teacher and parent, he understands the importance of black history and passing on that rich knowledge to the next generations.
“Black History Month is not only important to me, but it’s important for my son. I took him out of school today because I want him to have this experience at City Hall to see his brothers, sisters, and elders and hear about his ancestors,” Andrew says.
Other events around the city celebrating Black History Month include Feed The Seoul Yeg, where Edmontonians get a week-long taste of black-own restaurants’ various dishes. Feed The Seoul Yeg runs February 10-February 17, 2023.