An event this Friday at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights aims to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Canadians and recognize an important historical day on the calendar.
Aug. 1, known as Emancipation Day, marks the anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, which ended slavery throughout the British Empire — including Canada.
It’s an important date across many former British colonies, and even a national holiday in a number of Caribbean countries, but here in Canada, it remains lesser-known, only officially being recognized by the federal government in 2021.
“I think we’re talking a lot about the focus of our education system, and how that part of Canadian Black history is kind of missing,” Black History Manitoba’s Nadia Thompson told Global Winnipeg.
“We want to have a way to educate people, to give them an acknowledgement to those who’ve come before us regarding Canadian Black history and the history of slavery here in Canada.”
Thompson said Black History Manitoba has teamed up with the CMHR for a free, public Emancipation Day celebration.
“We’re basically just celebrating the accomplishments of Black people in Canadian history, and Emancipation Day is a great day to do that. We have a lot of different people from all throughout the Winnipeg area coming to entertain us.
“We’ve got some food, drinks, it’s going to be a really great celebration.”
A key part of creating awareness, Thompson said, is making sure Manitobans of all backgrounds are invited to celebrate — and learn — alongside the Black community.
“I think it’s important to acknowledge the fact that Canadian Black history is for everybody — it’s not just for any limited person.
“We make sure as many events as we possibly can are free. The museum itself is free that day.
“Black History Manitoba does circulate and we do programming all through the year. We’re not strictly just for (Black History Month), and we like to have that opportunity to remind people of that — that history is 365 days a year.”