February marks African Heritage Month at Saint Mary’s University, a time to honour the histories, cultures, and contributions of people of African descent in Nova Scotia and across the African diaspora. Each year, this month invites our community to learn, reflect, and engage meaningfully in ways that honour and support Black students, faculty, and staff across the university.
A personal reflection on African Heritage Month
To help ground this year’s celebrations, we spoke with Deborah Brothers-Scott, Director, Diversity Inclusion and Wellness, who shared her reflections on the month’s significance, the importance of centering Black and African Nova Scotian voices, and what meaningful inclusion looks like at SMU throughout the year.
Deborah Brothers-Scott speaks at an African Heritage Month event on campus
What does this month mean to you personally, and what do you hope it offers to the SMU community?
As an African Nova Scotian woman, it is deeply personal. It's a time when the contributions of Black people are spotlighted, acknowledged and celebrated. This acknowledgement of Black excellence should extend beyond February.
For the university community, African Heritage Month offers an opportunity for learning, reflection and connection. It creates space for meaningful conversations, challenges stereotypes, and encourages appreciation of Black histories and contributions. It invites the community to engage with diverse perspectives, build understanding and foster a more inclusive and respectful environment for all.
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This year’s African Heritage Month theme is Strength in Unity: Moving Forward with Purpose, Prosperity, Power, and Progress. What feels most important for our community to reflect on or engage with this year?
This year's theme invites our university community to reflect on how collective action and shared responsibility shape meaningful change. The University’s commitment to the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism calls for sustained action, accountability and institutional transformation that supports Black flourishing across all areas of university life. Engaging with this year's theme means holding ourselves responsible for turning principles into practice, and that progress is measured by the lived experiences and success of Black faculty, staff and students.
From your perspective, how do moments like African Heritage Month contribute to a stronger sense of belonging for Black students, faculty and staff?
From my perspective, events during African Heritage Month can be powerful if they do more than celebrate culture. They affirm presence and history in spaces where Black voices have often been marginalized or overlooked. In an academic setting—a place where knowledge is created, validated and preserved—who and what is centered matters deeply.
African Heritage Month also creates intentional visibility. It signals to Black faculty, staff and students that their identities, contributions and lived experiences are not only welcomed but valued. It also opens the door for awareness and reflection across the broader community. When done thoughtfully and with intention it helps shift institutional culture.
For those in the SMU community who may be unsure how to engage meaningfully with African Heritage Month, what would you encourage them to be curious about or open to?
I'd encourage members of the SMU community to approach African Heritage Month with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to listen. That might mean learning about histories and contributions that aren't always centred, engaging with stories and experiences beyond your own, or reflecting on how systems and institutions shape people's lives differently.
Being open doesn't require having all the right words. It starts with showing up, asking thoughtful questions and not being afraid to say the wrong thing. It is about valuing voices that have too often been overlooked or silenced.
Beyond February, what does meaningful recognition and inclusion look like to you at SMU throughout the year?
Meaningful recognition and inclusion beyond February means embedding Black voices, histories, and experiences into everyday life at SMU. This includes integrating Black scholarship and perspectives into curricula across disciplines, the inclusion of Black voices at decision-making tables, and supporting the needs of Black faculty, staff and students. Also, a visual representation of Black achievement.
Ultimately, meaningful inclusion means Black excellence is recognized and celebrated. When this work is ongoing, SMU moves from symbolic recognition to real lasting change. xt goes here
Deborah Brothers-Scott, Director, Diversity Inclusion and Wellness at Saint Mary’s leads efforts to advance equity, inclusion, and wellbeing across campus. She also chairs the SMU Anti-Racism Committee and played a key role in the university’s engagement with the Scarborough Charter, helping guide institutional action on Black inclusion and antiracism. As an African Nova Scotian leader with deep community roots, she is committed to fostering belonging, supporting Black flourishing, and building a stronger, more equitable university environment
Students celebrate at SMU’s African Night
Events on campus
Naming Ceremony of the Black Student Commons
Thursday, January 29
4-6 p.m.
Anne J. & Albert T. Isaacs Commons
Join us, the Black Student Advising Office, for the official naming ceremony of the Black Student Commons, a dedicated space that affirms community and connection for Black students. This ceremony acknowledges the collaborative efforts that brought this vision to life and honours the journey and advocacy that have shaped the space into a place of community, affirmation and excellence for Black students at Saint Mary's.
Rise & Thrive: Unlocking Black Brilliance Panel
Thursday, February 5
4-6 p.m.
Sobey Building 422
Part of Career Week 2026
Learn about empowerment, growth, and excellence in career development, overcoming barriers, and taking initiatives in your professional life. It is about moving beyond survival to success and flourishing in your career. This panel recognizes the unique creativity and innovation that Black alumni bring to their field. It is ultimately about creating spaces where Black excellence is seen, valued, and elevated.
SMU Huskies Black Heritage Night
Friday, February 6
The SMU Huskies are celebrating African Heritage Month at the Homburg Centre with special performances before and during Saturday’s games! A vendor market featuring Black Nova Scotian-owned businesses will be held in the concourse of the Homburg Centre.
Basketball doubleheader vs. UNB
Women's basketball: tip-off at 6 p.m
Men's basketball: tip-off at 8 p.m.
Women’s Hockey vs U de Moncton
7 p.m.
Dauphinee Centre
Creating A Fair Society
Wednesday, February 11
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre
Hosted at SMU by the Africa Festival of Arts and Culture Society
Get ready for an inspiring in-person event all about building a fairer Canada together. Connect with passionate folks, share your ideas, and discover new ways to make a difference and include others in your life.
It’s a great chance to learn, chat, and be part of something meaningful. Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity to help shape a better Canada!
With panellists Robert Wright, Lyana Patrick, Suzy Hansen and Lisa Lachance.
Leadership and Legacy: Black Mother, Black Daughter Documentary Screening and Networking Tea
Thursday, February 26
3-4:30 p.m.
CLARI (Atrium 340)
Join the Black Student Advisor and the Sexual Violence Advisor for Leadership and Legacy, a documentary screening of Black Mother, Black Daughter and networking tea honouring African Heritage Month and International Women’s Day. Celebrate Nova Scotia’s Black women leaders, connect with community, and build relationships with Black-identifying students. Pizza and refreshments provided.
Everyone is welcome!
SMU Community Spotlight
Elisha Delphin sets school triple jump record as Huskies compete in Athletics NS Open
In January, first-year Engineering student Elisha Delphin set a new school record in the Women's Triple Jump with 10.96m. This ranks her 3rd in the AUS rankings so far this season. Read more.
BComm student Ramon Stutz recognized for his leadership
Ramon earned a Student Leadership Recognition Award for the 2024-25 academic year. The Premiere Emcee Team co-founder and former RA was also a Research Assistant at the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, where he applied his finance expertise and passion for youth mentoring to support groundbreaking research initiatives for Black communities. Read more.
A new pathway for African Nova Scotian students begins at Saint Mary’s
A recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between Saint Mary’s and The PREP Academy is aimed at strengthening connections and creating pathways for African Nova Scotian learners. Read more.
MSc grad Dr. Louise Edwards has built a career charting the universe
After graduating with a Master of Science from Saint Mary’s in 2003, Louise became one of the first Black Canadians to earn a PhD in Astronomy at Université Laval. Since then, she’s had an exciting career across North America, teaching and studying the brightest cluster galaxies and the cosmic web, and completing a rotation with the National Science Foundation. Read more.
Reading materials and resources in the Patrick Power Library
A portion of the books and items featured in the Patrick Power Library African Heritage Month collection
Throughout February, the Patrick Power Library will display a collection of library resources for African Heritage Month on the ground floor. Along with our book display, we will be featuring artwork done in partnership with the Black Student Advisor and students.
Featured resource recommendations will be shared on our social channels (@smuhfxlibrary). These resources include theses from the University Archives’ Institutional Repository, which highlights the work of Saint Mary’s graduate students whose research explores themes related to Black and African heritage, history, identity and social justice. All books can be borrowed with your SMU ID card. Browse the full African Heritage Month collection online.
The Patrick Power Library’s activity table on the ground floor will feature African Heritage-themed puzzles and crafts throughout February for students to enjoy.
Saint Mary’s University, in cooperation with Dr. Lynn Jones (C.M.), African Nova Scotian leader and activist, proudly houses The Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Heritage Collection in the University Archives. The Collection documents the lives of Lynn, her family, and over 50 years of African, African Diasporic and African Nova Scotian heritage and history. Key parts of the collection include materials on:
civil rights and social justice struggles in Halifax, Canada and beyond
Lynn’s career as an athlete, politician, union activist, and work as an election observer for the 1994 South African Presidential election of Nelson Mandela
the activism of Lynn’s brother, Burnley “Rocky” Jones and many others
thousands of news clippings, programs, reports and other material documenting Black life (e.g. the histories of local Black communities and institutions, an obituary collection, news coverage of local and international racial segregation and apartheid, clippings on famous athletes and environmental racism).
Researchers, community members, educators, students, community organizers and others are all welcome to visit the collection. It can be viewed in person at the Saint Mary's University Archives. Parts of the collection, including samples of archival material from Lynn's personal collection and a small example of the newspaper clipping collection, have been digitized and are available on the library's digital repository. A more detailed finding aid and collection inventory are also available.
African Descended/Black Student online hub
Find SMU resources on our online hub for Black and African Nova Scotian students. Find out how to connect with the Black Student Advisor, learn about awards and bursaries, see news and more!
Visit smu.ca/blackstudent to be connected