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February is Black History Month in Canada, and it’s a great opportunity to share the history, contributions, and culture of Black Canadians.
To help celebrate, we’ve put together a list of fun, unique and informative Black History Month events happening in and around Vancouver. Make plans to check out Dynamic Diasporas, Louise Rose & Dawn Pemberton, and more.
Celebrations and Revelations 2022 – A free online concert in celebration of Black History Month
Vancouver Public Library/Facebook
What: Vancouver Public Library presents Celebrations and Revelations 2022 For African Heritage Month, an online concert experience produced by Culturepreneur Joy Bullen. The concert will be available all February long on YouTube and features performances by accomplished musical brothers Rashaan Allwood and Yanick Allwood, as well as award-winning professional performance artist Shayna Jones.
When: February 1 to 28, 2022
Time: Anytime
Where: Online via YouTube
Cost: Free
African Descent History Month by African Descent Society BC
What: The African Descent Society BC celebrates and honours the pioneers, heroes and trailblazers who forged the path forward for people of African descent and all of humanity. All month long, they host a variety of events and collaborate with other organizations, including walking tours, live performances, forums and discussions, and more.
Visit www.adsbc.org or email [email protected] for more details.
When: Various dates from February 2 to 28, 2022
Time: Various times
Where: Various in-person locations and online
Honouring Black History Month: Inclusive Leadership in Action
What: Greater Vancouver Board of Trade presents a moderated discussion with BC Lions alum and anti-racism speaker Sean Millington and panellists. The goal of the event is to help business leaders understand the impact of bias and systemic racism in Black and other racialized communities.
When: February 8, 2022
Time: 12 to 1:30 pm
Where: Online
Cost: Free for members, $30 plus GST for non-members. Register online.
Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots
Museum of Anthropology/Facebook
What: Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots at Museum of Anthropology features works by contemporary artists from Lagos, Nigeria, and Vancouver, as well as objects inMOA’ss permanent collection, to share stories, histories and projects of African and Black affirmation. A focus of the exhibition is to draw connections to historical contributions and the growing vitality of Vancouver’s Black Canadians.
When: Now until March 22, 2022
Time: 10 am to 5 pm, closed on Monday (open until 9 pm on the last Thursday of the month)
Where: Museum of Anthropology – 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
Tickets: Available online
Dynamic Diasporas at VMF Winter Arts Hub
What: Dynamic Diasporas is a visual storytelling and dance project by Doaa Magdy. The project highlights BC’s Black history by bringing archives to life and through dance on stage. Community Partner for Dynamic Diasporas is BC Black History Awareness Society.
When: Art Installation can be seen daily from February 11 to 27, 2022. Dance performance on February 27
Time: Various times
Where: Winter Arts Hub atšxʷƛ̓ ənəqXwtl’e7énḵ Square (Vancouver Art Gallery north plaza)
Cost: Free”
Being a Hope Amid Crisis”: A conversation with Dr. Cornel West
What: BC Black History Awareness Society hosts a conversation with Dr. Cornel West, professor at Union Theological Seminary, and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. Dr. West has authored 20 books, including Race Matters, Democracy Matters, his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, and his newest book, Black Prophetic Fire.
When: February 16, 2022
Time: 5 to 6 pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free, register online
Discover Black Strathcona Resurgence Project murals
Odera Igbokwe painting for Vancouver MuralFestival’ss Black Strathcona Resurgence Project (Mavreen David/Submitted)
What: Vancouver MuralFestival’ss Black Strathcona Resurgence Project is a multi-year project that spotlights Black storytelling through public murals created in partnership with local Black artists, businesses, and communities.
Begin at the corner of Main & Union (check out the mural story along the Georgia Viaduct and look up and walk around the Hydro station), and then explore the 11 new BSRP murals that were created in the Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood during VMF 2021.
When: Any Day
Time: Any Time
Where: Various locations in Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood
Cost: Free
Kalabanté: Afrique en Cirque
What: Montreal-based troupe Kalabanté Productions presents Afrique en Cirque, an evening of theatre, dance, music, and astonishing physical feats. Led by acrobat, musician, aerialist, choreographer, and artistic director Yamoussa Bangoura, the 11-person performance is a high-flying feast for the senses.
When: February 24, 2022
Time: 8 pm
Where: Chan Shun Concert Hall at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver
Cost: Free, register online
Black History Month at VIFF Centre
What: VIFF Centre presents a month of movies shining a spotlight on Black stories from a range of Black voices from around the world, as well as the richness of nuanced and empowered Black filmmaking. Highlights include Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America, Music. Money. Madness – Jimi Hendrix: Experience Live in Maui, and The Sleeping Negro. VIFF is also hosting an online talk with the key creatives behind the CBC and BET+ original series, The Porter.
When: Various dates
Time: Various times
Where: VIFF Centre – 1181 Seymour St, Vancouver
Tickets: various, purchase online
Meet the Author: Janice Lynn Mather
What: Surrey Libraries invites teens ages 12 to 18 or school classes in grades 8 to 12 to celebrate Black History Month by meeting local author Janice Lynn Mather. The Bahamian-Canadian author writes teen fiction about real-life experiences of young black women, with titles including GovernorGeneral’ss Literary Award finalist Learning to Breathe, Facing the Sun and the upcoming Where was Goodbye and Uncertain Kin.
When: February 10, 2022
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 am
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Cost: Free, advance registration required
Via Kanana
Via Kanana by Via Katlehong and Gregory Maqoma (Christian Ganet/Submitted)
What: Digidance presents Via Kanana, a new production by Via Katlehong Dance and contemporary choreographer Gregory Maqoma. The dance work is streaming via video-on-demand (VOD) across Canada and examines corruption in South Africa while asking wider questions about those in power and the unfulfilled promises made in the transition to democracy.
Digidance is a partnership between Canada’s leading dance presenters: DanceHouse (Vancouver), Harbourfront Centre (Toronto), the National Arts Centre (Ottawa), and Danse Danse (Montreal).
When: February 16 to March 6, 2022
Time: Anytime
Where: Streaming online via VOD
Cost: Starting at $16.14, purchase online
An Evening with Louise Rose & Dawn Pemberton
What: BC Black History Awareness Society and Belfry Theatre present a live-streamed concert with living Canadian treasure Louise Rose and the New Queen of Canadian Soul Dawn Pemberton.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: 7 pm
Where: Online
Cost: Pay-what-you-can, recommended $10. Purchase online.
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