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.
Read below to find out about events happening on campus, highlights of Black Excellence at SMU and resources available to students.
Students celebrate at SMU’s African Night
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
SMU Events
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. Half-time performances from Owen ‘O’Sound’ Lee, ECMA Award Winning 'king of the African Canadian songbook’.
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
Budget Bites: African Heritage Month Edition
Tuesday, February 10
4-6 p.m.
Loyola Residence 18-7
Join the SMU Community Food Room and Residence Life for an African Heritage Month-themed interactive cooking demo and discover how to cook on a budget! Learn quick, tasty, and budget-friendly recipes you can mash, mix, and taste yourself.
Questions? Please reach out to food.room@smu.ca
Paint Your Flag
Tuesday, February 10
6-8 p.m.
The Gorsebrook Lounge
In collaboration with Mauya The Fine Arts Tribe and Saint Mary's University Student Association, join us in decorating the Black Student Commons by displaying the Black Diaspora at SMU! Refreshments will be provided.
Black-Owned Vendors Market
Tuesday, February 24
12-4 p.m.
Loyola Conference Hall (LA 290)
The Black Student Society and SMUSA present the 2026 Black-Owned Vendors Market.
Visit Loyola Conference Hall (LA 290) to shop a variety of local and Black-owned businesses.
African Dance Workshop
Wednesday, February 25
6-7 p.m.
McNally Theatre Auditorium
Are you up for a challenge that will have you dancing and sweating while learning more about African culture? This workshop will be facilitated by the Maritime Centre for African Dance and will feature teachers from Africa and the Caribbean. All are welcome, whether you are a seasoned dancer or a nervous beginner!
Hosted by The Counselling Centre, Residence Life, and the Black Student Advising Office.
Voices and Verses: African Heritage Month Open Mic Night
Thursday, February 26
5-7 p.m.
Join the Student Success Centre for an African Heritage Month open mic night of poetry, short stories, spoken word, and songs. This will be a cozy and inclusive space to share stories and personal journeys. Questions? Please reach out to welcome@smu.ca
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!
Community Events
Policing Black Lives: State Violence from Slavery to ICE
Saturday, February 7
5 p.m.
Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library
Presented by the East Coast Prison Justice Society (ECPJS).
Join Author Robyn Maynard in conversation with SMU professor Rachel Zellars, and ECPJS board members El Jones & Suzanne Patles for a timely conversation on policing and state violence.
All are welcome to attend in the spirit of community & solidarity.
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.
With SMU professor Robert Wright, Lyana Patrick, Suzy Hansen and Lisa Lachance.
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 Stultz recognized for his leadership
Ramon earned a Student Leadership Recognition Award for the 2024-25 academic year for his many roles on campus, including President of the Carribean Society and RA. The Premiere Emcee Team co-founder 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.
SMU community celebrates the opening of the Black Excellence Commons
On January 29, the Saint Mary’s University community gathered to officially name a dedicated Black student space established in spring 2025. Students, staff, faculty and alumni marked the opening of African Heritage Month by honouring the advocacy, collective care and generations of leadership that shaped the space and brought the community to this moment.
“Sankofa, an African word rooted in Adinkra principles, means ‘go back and get it,’” explained Ebun Oladele MA’21, Black Student Advisor. “It reminds us that we draw strength from our histories and our ancestral wisdom as we move forward. Sankofa: Black Excellence Commons (BEC) is a space rooted in memory, in community, and in possibility. Not just for today but for generations to come.”
Past Tribe Network Scholarship Recipients Stephen Osunrinde, Alfred Burgesson, Maxinne Baddoo, Chidiebere Onwe, Nana Ekow Baah Korsah, Uzoamaka David, Papa Kwame Twumasi-Ntiamoah, Samuel Ebong, and Dr. Adam Sarty
Tribe Network Graduate Student Scholarship and Internship
Saint Mary's University, in partnership with the Tribe Network, is offering graduate students who self-identify as Black or Indigenous the opportunity to apply for a scholarship that will financially support the student through their graduate studies, as well as establish a connection with the Tribe Network to help identify an internship position if needed for their program. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2026
New summer field course explores culture and religion in Ghana
A new field course will help students build career-ready skills in non-profit leadership, community-based research and intercultural communication.
The Ghana Field Course: Religion and Social Innovation (RELS 3800) with Dr. James Kwateng-Yeboah will examine how African Indigenous and religious traditions are shaping social innovation in education, entrepreneurship and cultural heritage in Ghana—one of Africa’s most vibrant centers of creative enterprise.
The course takes place during the Summer Term. Students can learn more about the course and submit their expression of interest here.
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
