Once upon a time–back in the early years of the turbulent 1960s–Harry Jerome was one of the most famous Canadians on the planet. Jerome was “The World’s Fastest Human,” an unofficial title bestowed by pundits and sportswriters that went to the holder of the fastest time of the 100-metre dash. In fact, at one point, Jerome not only held the 100-metre title but the 100-yard title as well. At the

Historica Canada has released its latest Heritage Minute video. It honours jazz legend and piano virtuoso Oscar Peterson, chronicling his rise from Montreal’s working-class Little Burgundy neighbourhood to world renown. WATCH: Thompson Egbo-Egbo play the role of Oscar Peterson: Peterson’s daughter Céline Peterson, a producer at the Kensington Market Jazz Festival in Toronto, believes her father would be thrilled and especially proud of seeing his story in a Heritage Minute.

A prominent figure in British Columbia’s Black history will have a street named in her honour in Vancouver–the first ever named after a Black woman in the city’s history. Vancouver City Council made the announcement Wednesday, “Nora Hendrix Way” will be part of the new St. Paul’s Hospital precinct, where a number of new streets are being built and near where the Black neighbourhood of Hogan’s Alley once thrived. It’s

Quebec’s, public security minister has announced a formal investigation into how and why a PhD candidate from Guinea was arrested, charged with attempted murder and then kept in detention for six nights before being told at a bail hearing that he was free to go. In a statement Tuesday, Geneviève Guilbault said the inquiry, set to begin Feb. 22, will be charged with “allowing us to better understand events, identify

A PhD student from Guinea who lives and works in Montreal escaped a legal noose that was on the verge of strangling him, his family and his friends for over a week last Friday–ever since he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got arrested and went to jail for something he vehemently denied he had anything to do with. At a press conference, Montreal Police Chief

Montreal’s performing arts venue, Place des Arts, is hosting several free activities for Black History Month in Canada this February 2021. This is part of a raft of activities organized by The Round Table on Black History Month. On February 11, a discussion on the cultural vitality of Black communities will be held. Panelists will be invited to discuss action that can be taken on equity and inclusion. Among them

Cineplex announced that throughout the month of February, it is donating $1 from every transaction from its curated Black History Month collection to The Black Academy, an organization determined to elevate and inspire Black talent across Canada. 🙌🏾🍿 https://t.co/sLXeVY1Cr2 — Black is Now Canada (@BlackisNowCA) February 2, 2021 The Black History Month collection consists of over 100 titles, including Hidden Figures, Selma, 42, Race, Get Out, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal has ordered the province to pay a former corrections officer nearly $1 million in compensation for physical attacks and racial slurs he was subjected to on the job–for being Black. Levan Francis, who ended a 15-year career with B.C. Corrections in 2013, filed a complaint about his treatment at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam in 2012 and has been fighting the

A non-profit in the province of Quebec is celebrating three decades of “highlighting the journeys and success of Black communities, to build bridges with others.” The Round Table on Black History Month has unveiled a broad range of activities which will take place throughout the month of February 2021.  Because of the pandemic, the public will be invited to get to know Black culture in all its forms online. There

Canada’s home for the performing arts has announced that it will provide half of its theatre resources to Black theatre companies hereon in. To start, Canada’s oldest Black theatre company, Black Theatre Workshop, will become a “Co-Curation Company in Residence” at the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa for the 2021-22 season.  The co-curation idea grew from calls for substantial change in Canadian theatre and a recognition that Black artists