Black History Month is an opportunity for Prince Edward Island to celebrate black Islanders from past to present.
Events and educational activities will be held throughout February in libraries, schools, museums and establishments. This year the provincial government is partnering with the Black Cultural Society to host some of these activities, which will be listed on the society’s Facebook group at https://goo.gl/nFnQjE.
“A key direction from our Culture Action Plan is to support diversity activities that focus on education and heritage,” Education, Early Learning and Culture Minister Jordan Brown said. “The Black Cultural Society has demonstrated excellent leadership in educating and engaging Islanders, not only during Black History Month, but throughout the year since forming in 2016.”
The society will collaborate with the Confederation Centre Public Library on activities and host events at locations such as the Startup Zone, Upstreet Craft Brewing, and City Cinema. Details and times of some of these events are still to be confirmed; check the Facebook group or e-mail to blackculturesocietype@gmail.com for updates.
“PEI has a rich history of black Islanders and we wish to honour that as well as recognize the new generations of black Islanders that now live in the province,” said Kendi Tarichia, a member of the Black Cultural Society. “PEI has diverse communities, and celebrating Black History Month is one more way to showcase that.”
Media contact:
Hillary MacDonald
hpsmacdonald@gov.pe.ca
Backgrounder
The following are confirmed events for Black History Month:
- Island Black History talk by Jim Hornby – Eptek Art & Culture Centre, February 4, 2 p.m.
- Seed mosaic – Confederation Centre Public Library, February 10,, 2.p.m
- Privilege activity for teens – Startup Zone, February 16, 2 p.m.
- Bean mosaic – Confederation Centre Public Library, February 16, 2 p.m.
- Storytime – Confederation Centre Public Library, February 21, 11 a.m.
There will be book displays in many public libraries across PEI including Montague, Charlottetown, Cornwall, Stratford, Souris, Summerside, Kensington, and O’Leary.