Celebrating African Heritage Month

February 1 marks the official start of African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia, a time to celebrate the rich history, culture and contributions of people of African descent.

The 2023 theme, Seas of Struggle – African Peoples from Shore to Shore, honours the strength and determination of people of African descent from the shores of Africa to the shores of Nova Scotia and reflects the key role the sea has played in this history.

To help mark the month's significance, the tri-colour Pan-African flag will be raised in front of the McNally building. The red, black and green flag was created in 1920 to represent the people of the African Diaspora. 

At Saint Mary’s, in addition to events listed below, we will be celebrating BIPOC members of our community on @smuhuskies with Black student athlete profiles featured throughout the month, and within the February edition of the Saint Mary's Entrepreneurship Centre's newsletter, The Entrepreneurial Minute, with a spotlight on BIPOC entrepreneurs. Be sure to subscribe to SMUEC's monthly newsletter here to receive the next edition in your inbox at the end of the month!

Related stories

• The Turner Bursary for African Canadian and Indigenous Women

• Black joy on campus: Reflections from student Fisson Tibbo

• Huskies host Black Heritage Night basketball doubleheader

• Creating a Black Student Society at SMU: Reflections from inaugural president, Oratile Mogae 

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Patrick Power Library

Throughout February, the Patrick Power Library is featuring a collection of library resources for African Heritage Month, on display on the ground floor of the library. Book recommendations will be shared online throughout the month on our social channels (@smuhfxlibrary). All books can be borrowed with your SMU ID card. Browse the full African Heritage Month collection online: bit.ly/pplDisplays

Related: Patrick Power Library & Student Affairs share literary display for African Heritage Month

Dynamic Rural Business Series

Monday, February 6
5–8 p.m.

The Black Business Initiative (BBI) and the Sobey School of Business are launching the Rural Black Businesses Series at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

The focus of this event is to bring together rural NS black entrepreneurs and create a space to discuss their challenges and their successes.

CCDI Webinar: Unlearning anti-Black racism

Thursday, February 9
2–3 p.m.

The conversation around anti-Black racism has mostly focused on strategies for eliminating racism within organizations and communal settings. However, tools and strategies can only go so far when we have been socially conditioned into anti-Blackness. In this webinar, we will explore how we can unlearn internalized anti-Black racism.

This webinar is presented by The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI).

Saint Mary's Huskies celebrate Black Heritage Month with community events

The Saint Mary's University Department of Athletics is proud to announce its celebration of Black Heritage Month this February, including our 'Black Heritage Day Basketball Doubleheader' on Saturday, February 11.

Throughout the month, Saint Mary's University will be highlighting some of our many incredible Black student-athletes whose impacts and achievements are important pieces of Huskies history, today, and every day.

On February 11, Saint Mary's will showcase a range of cultural events and activities at our women's and men's basketball games against crosstown rival Dalhousie Tigers.

Learn more

Movie night for Black students: Love and Basketball

Wednesday, February 15
Library Classroom
6:30 p.m.

Join us for a screening of the movie Love and Basketball. Hosted in collaboration with the Black Student Coordinator and Patrick Power Library. Snacks provided.

Kemet Udjat: An African Heritage Month film festival

March 13–15
5–8 p.m.
Scotiabank Conference Theatre (SB 201)

Register here 

Join us for three nights of film screenings, discussions and light refreshments. The films will all be shown in person, and the March 14 film will also be available for viewing online. More details to follow.

• Monday, March 13: Le Mythe de la femme noire (2023, 1 hr 34 mins), directed by Ayana O’Shun

• Tuesday, March 14: I Am Not Your Negro (2016, 1 hr 35 mins), directed by Raoul Peck
  (Note: This film will be available to view in person and online.)   

• Wednesday, March 15: Nowhere in Africa (2001, 2 hrs 21 mins), directed by Caroline Link

Presented by Dr. Jean-Blaise Samou, Francophone & Intercultural Studies, with the support of the Office of the Associate Vice-President Diversity & Excellence and the Alliance Française Halifax

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Resources

• Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Collection

• African Descended/Black Student Support

• African Heritage Month events in Halifax
  
  
  

Saint Mary's University celebrates African Heritage Month

This February, Saint Mary's University is celebrating African Heritage Month. This year's theme is Black History Matters: Listen, Learn, Share and Act, recognizing the important legacy of people of African descent and the long-standing history in the development of Canada.  

"We are proud to be hosting a series of events that our students and community can attend virtually to celebrate African Heritage Month," says Charisma Grace Walker, the African Nova Scotian/Black student & community liaison at Saint Mary's. "I encourage everyone to join us as we discuss the past, present, and future of our communities."  

The university’s live online African Heritage Month launch event takes place on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, at 11 a.m. The event will feature greetings and performances from members of the African Nova Scotian and Black community. The university is excited to welcome Candace Thomas BA'86, Deputy Minister, Department of Justice, who will participate and provide the keynote address. The launch event, and several upcoming events celebrating Saint Mary’s African Heritage Month, have been made possible through the generous support of Emera Inc.

A live stream of the launch event can be accessed at smu.ca/blackstudent. This event is open to all, and no sign-up is required. 

"African Heritage Month is an important time for our community to come together and celebrate," says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Intercultural learning and the diversity of our institution is one of our greatest strengths. Saint Mary’s is committed to ensuring we are a community focused on the importance of equity, representation, and inclusion.”  

For more information on African Heritage Month events at Saint Mary's, including a keynote address-style event with Dr. Angela Davis and a music-infused poetry session, visit smu.ca/blackstudent/events. 

African Heritage Month 2020 highlights faith, family and community

February is African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia and a time to celebrate and share the culture and history of African Nova Scotians.

African Heritage Month events at Saint Mary’s. Click here to go to the Saint Mary’s events calendar.

The 2020 African Heritage Month theme, The Ties that Bind: Faith, Family and Community, recognizes the essential traits that sustain the strength, resiliency and togetherness of the African Nova Scotian community.

“February is another opportunity to honour the achievements of people of African descent,” said Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs Tony Ince. “Without the leadership, determination and dignity of African Nova Scotians, our province would not be as successful as it is today.”

Join Saint Mary’s University in celebrating African Heritage Month by exploring the multitude of events taking place across campus and Halifax.

Click here for the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs’ African Heritage Month 2020 event calendar.

Celebrating African Heritage Month 2019

Join Saint Mary’s University in celebrating African Heritage Month by exploring the multitude of events taking place across campus, including a one-of-a-kind exhibit and panel discussion in the Patrick Power Library.

African Heritage Month events at Saint Mary’s. Click here to go to the Saint Mary’s events calendar.

The theme of the panel discussion is “Racial Apartheid & Black Freedom Struggles in Nova Scotia & South Africa”. The exhibit features Nova Scotian and South African materials from the Lynn Jones African-Canadian Heritage and Diaspora Heritage Collection, housed in the Saint Mary’s University Archives. The exhibit will be on display on the first floor of the Patrick Power Library, Saint Mary’s University from February 4-28, 2019.

The panel discussion will feature South African writer and SMU scholar Gugu Hlongwane, Dr. Lynn Jones (Global African Congress, NS Chapter), researcher and filmmaker Francesca Ekwuyasi, and social justice strategist, songwriter and educator Delvina Bernard. The panel will speak to similarities and differences between Black history and freedom struggles in Nova Scotia and South Africa. This event takes place on Tuesday February 12th, 6:30-8pm, Patrick Power Library Classroom (LI135).

The Saint Mary’s University Archives is the proud home of the Lynn Jones African-Canadian Heritage & Diaspora Heritage Collection, which “documents the lives of Lynn, her family, and over 50 years of African, African Diasporic, and African-Nova Scotian heritage and history”.

Dr. Lynn Jones

Learn more about the Collection and how to access it at https://smu.ca/academics/archives/lynn-jones-african-canadian-collection.html

For more information about African Heritage Month and the events taking place throughout the province, visit https://ansa.novascotia.ca/, Facebook, @AfricanNSAffairs or Twitter, @OfficeofANSA.