Celebrating Black History Month

This February, the City of Belleville is celebrating Black History Month with a number of events and activities.

Belleville Public Library will be hosting guest speaker Nikki Clarke on Feb. 15 from 3 to 4 p.m., who will speak about the pivotal contributions of Black Canadians to the nation’s innovative landscape, spanning entrepreneurship, technology, arts and social progress during her special presentation, Black Canadian Innovation: Looking to the Past to Face the Future. Those interested in attending the free presentation are encouraged to secure their spot by calling 613-968-6731 ext. 2037 or emailing infoserv@bellevillelibrary.ca.

Glanmore National Historic Site will feature a special exhibit, Portraits of Black History in Belleville, throughout the month. The display tells the stories of enslaved Black persons brought to the area in the late 1700s and early 1800s by United Empire Loyalists and features vignettes of some of the Black persons in our community over the past 250 years. It is important to note that the information in the exhibit is based on local historic records, newspaper articles and other archival sources which intrinsically reflect a Eurocentric perspective. Research is ongoing to bring to light more of these important stories to the community. Portraits of Black History was developed by Glanmore in partnership with the Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County and the City of Belleville’s economic and strategic initiatives department. It will be on display at Glanmore National Historic Site, 257 Bridge St. East., from Feb. 1 to 28. Regular museum admission applies.

In addition to their partnership with Glanmore, Community Archives Belleville Hastings County is also promoting their online exhibit, Black Residents of Hastings County in 1881, which tells the stories of 13 families throughout the Hastings region in 1881.

"Every February is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the many stories and achievements of Black persons in our community and beyond,” said Chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Councillor Sean Kelly. “This year’s theme, Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations, is a chance for us to learn more about the ongoing legacy of Black Canadians in shaping our country. I encourage everyone to take advantage of as many events and activities as they can this month!”

Belleville City Council officially proclaimed February as Black History Month during the Jan. 27 council meeting. For more resources and information on Black History Month in Canada, visit: Canada.ca/BlackHistoryMonth