African Heritage Month: We Are Still Here. Remembering. Reaffirming. Resilience.

Written by Natasha Fernandes

Thumbnail Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on some of the world’s despair and inequalities. The killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd by the police have once again exposed the systemic inequalities at the roots of society’s institutions. Moreover, these murders sent the world onto the streets with their masks on to protest against law enforcement that does not protect its people. 

As February is ending, it is time to look back on Black History Month and commemorate how Black Canadians have contributed to Canada’s history and culture. During February, Nova Scotians, and more specifically students at SMU, had the opportunity to learn about African cultures and the importance of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Black History Month is a beacon of change and hope that is desperately needed in this world. The diversity within the Black community is highlighted by African Heritage Month to remind the world of not just how far we have travelled, but how far there is to go. 

African Heritage Month 2021 Graphic by Saint Mary’s University

What is Black History Month? 

According to the Government of Canada, Black History Month celebrates the achievements of Black people and their communities who have been a part of shaping Canada’s heritage and identity. It is about acknowledging the vast contributions that Black people have made, and continue to make, in all areas of society. Historically, Canada has improperly treated both Black and Indigenous populations. This is an indisputable fact. The reason we have come so far is because of the hard work and relentless efforts of those who fought enslavement and helped to lay the foundation of the diverse and inclusive society we see today. We observed the first Black History Month in Nova Scotia in 1988 (though it was first celebrated in Canada in 1950) and the Nova Scotian Government later renamed it to African Heritage Month in 1996. The provincial theme for Black History Month this year is Listen, Learn, Share, and Act. This helps us understand the important legacy and contributions of people of African Descent without ignoring or diluting the hardships they faced and acknowledging the barriers that still exist in our society today. 

To educate and empower students, the African Descended/ Black Student Support at Saint Mary’s University organized month-long events during African Heritage Month. I attended Dr. Angela Yvonne Davis’ keynote address: We are Still Here. Remembering. Reaffirming. Resilience. This event took place on February 12th, 2021 and was moderated by Charisma Grace Walker, SMU’s full-time African Nova Scotian and Black student community liaison. 

The event began with the territorial land acknowledgement facilitated by Raymond Sewell. Territorial land acknowledgements are a necessary first step towards honouring the original occupants of a place. Following this was the African Descendant Affirmation, read by Miss Renee Babin, who is an undergraduate student pursuing entrepreneurship. Mr. Wayne Hamilton, a member of the African-Nova Scotian community and Executive Director for African-Nova Scotian Affairs, originally penned the African Descendant Affirmation when he travelled to Senegal and Tanzania. 

The event had a diverse representation of attendees which included SMU students, faculty, staff, alumni, the board of governor’s chairperson, Mr. Larry Freeman, President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Summerby-Murray, the Vice President of Academic and Research, Dr. Malcolm Butler, the Vice President of Advancement, Erin Sargeant Greenwood, and the Vice President of Finance and Administration, Michelle Benoit. Dr. Summerby-Murray facilitated the opening remarks and a welcoming speech on behalf of Saint Mary’s University. Following the opening remarks were performances by two gifted spoken word poets, Miss Miriam Schroeder and Ms. Angela Bowden, who are both graduate students in Women’s and Gender Studies. Schroeder’s poem “You see Black, we see Human” and Bowden’s poem “We Are Still Here” were both emotional and awe-inspiring. 

Dr. Angela Davis. Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash

The major highlight of the event was Dr. Angela Davis’ Keynote address, which was moderated by Ms. Sylvia Parris-Drummond, the CEO of Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute. Before starting her session, Dr. Davis acknowledged the Mi’kmaq people and their long history on the land on which SMU was built. To begin, Dr. Davis discussed learning about Africville through one of its residents and acclaimed singer, Faith Nolan. Africville was a primarily Black community on the south shore of the Bedford Basin, on the outskirts of Halifax. Africville was founded in the mid-18th century and became a prosperous seaside community but was demolished in the 1960s after decades of neglect. Davis brought up the many similarities between the US South (e.g. the city of Alabama) and the province of Nova Scotia (Halifax specifically), which was also subject to regimes of racial segregation. During the era of slavery when the Underground Railroad brought 30,000 fugitive slaves from the US to Canada (including to Africville and Halifax), many Americans looked at Canada as the “land of freedom.” But the dream of freedom in Canada was short-lived by constant racist acts, such as the razing of historic sites like Africville by the Canadian Government. The constant struggle of systemic racism reinvigorates the desire for reparations. 

Dr. Davis also brought up the sudden participation withdrawal of Dr. Rachel Zellars and El Jones from this African Heritage Month event. One of the reasons for this withdrawal was their belief that SMU and other universities failed to work collaboratively with community elders (both indigenous and Black). 

One example of mistreatment of community elders is Dr. Lynn Jones who has provided SMU’s library with a collection of valuable archives that document 50 years of African, African Diasporic and African- Nova- Scotian Heritage and history. Dr. Lynn is a community activist in Halifax, who faced discrimination when she visited the ER in Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Advocate gives a detailed overview of how the nurses treated Dr. Lynn and how the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) responded to this incident. Another incident was when Dr. Lynn along with three other Black elders were stopped by police while they were merely deer sighting on accounts of looking “suspicious” in their own neighbourhood in Truro. Dr. Lynn continues to fight for these struggles and pushes for reparations for African Nova Scotians. 

Although there is not much information about this controversy it is certain that there are unresolved issues on SMU’s campus that help us realize institutions related to education, culture, economics, housing and other social needs cannot continue to function without acknowledging the many ways they contribute to the prevalence of racism. In her keynote, Dr. Davis then touched on the concept of America’s “racial reckoning” when millions of people protested against the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among other disproportionate instances of police violence against Black people which are rooted in systemic racism. Yet here we are, almost ending this month of Black History month with relative quietness. Dr. Davis emphasized how many people are under the assumption that the moment of standing up and speaking out against racism has already passed. This assumption is entirely incorrect. While it may be true that the intensity of public protest has faded, we must keep the movement alive. 

Photo by Oladimeji Odunsi on Unsplash

Now is the time to engage in serious work that will allow us to shift from “ally” to “accomplice.” Let us commit to genuine societal changes so that we do not go back to square one, and instead, we can start dismantling the clutches of structural racism. Dr. Davis emphasized: 

“And today, when we acknowledge that Black Lives Matter, we are not simply saying that Black people deserve justice, equality, and freedom, which of course is true, but we are pointing out that the positionality of Black people and Indigenous people in our societies, is the best measure of the meaning of democracy.” 

Dr. Davis mentioned how there is often a patronizing attitude towards Black struggles as something that only affects people of African Descent (or more broadly people of colour). But the efforts generated by this movement affect everyone. The abolitionist movement of the 21st century strives to not just dismantle imprisonment and policing, but also to work towards the emergence of progressive democratic futures. Dr. Davis informed us that reform, popularly believed to be the only way, is in fact a myth. The idea of reform has only perpetuated our current institutions and has allowed them to become more racist, more violent, and more oppressive. Despite many protests against institutions that have undergone reform, not much has changed. Isn’t it time to try something new and seek different ways (such as abolitionist movements) of addressing the problems we face in the modern world? Abolitionist movements are at their best when they incorporate global recognition and solidarity. It is important to embrace methods that allow us to interact with others and to locate our campaigns and struggles on a world-historical stage. 

If you missed this insightful event and would like to hear the whole keynote address you can view the recording of this event by clicking this link here. If you feel like sharing your impressions about the event with someone, you can reach out to me via email or send me a message on my Instagram. I would love to hear your opinions!