The purpose of this committee was to work in partnership with the Royal BC Museum to produce a Black History Special Event for February 1994 “in hopes of leading to a permanent and/or travelling Black History Exhibit”. There were thirteen committee members and seven committee supporters. They held their first…
Category: Event Archive
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THE FUNCTION FESTIVAL took place at Ship Point, Victoria. All ages were welcomed. THE FUNCTION is one of the NEWEST festivals in downtown Victoria and made its debut in a big way! Featuring one main stage, BIPOC artists, vendor village, food trucks, live art, kids’ zone & a barbershop! Yeah,…
A Canada Multiculturalism Day Celebration We partnered with some of Victoria’s most dynamic cultural groups for this FREE event with FREE Entertainment and FREE food for Family fun! The event took place at the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria and featured cultural cuisine and performances representing Africa,…
“Black History Here, Now, Then, Always: A Conversation across Exhibitions” was a webinar hosted by Royal BC Museum and Archives bringing together the exhibition curators in a moderated conversation exploring intersections across these two powerful and important exhibitions that daylight Black History and Black Belonging in BC and beyond. The…
Vibes & Verses stimulated your senses through the flow of jazz, the movements of afro-beats, the bounce of reggae, and the sways of R&B and calypso. Your journey continued through powerful spoken word performances and the art of some of B.C.’s most talented painters and photographers; held at the spectacular…
In 1861 John and Charlotte Dandridge built a house in a Victoria community now known as Fernwood. They lived there until circa 1871. The event to unveil this plaque was a cooperative effort by the Society and the current owners and restorers Linda and Davyd. They undertook an extensive renovation…
Designed and developed by our Society, British Columbia Black Pioneers is a collection of short stories about women, men, families, and partnerships that show the intricacies of the events, experiences, and circumstances of everyday life of the Black pioneers, such as winning prizes at the earliest Saanich Fair in 1875,…
A new grave marker for Captain Paris Carter [1820-1890] and his wife Mary [c.1826-1890] was unveiled at the Ross Bay Cemetery and a wreath was laid. Paris Carter, served as Captain of the Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps for a time. The restoration and unveiling ceremony was sponsored by the Last…
This event was the launch of the report “Worlds Within: Diverse Histories, Identities, and Experiences of Black People of African Ancestry in British Columbia“. The report is the output of the African Ancestry Survey Project, highlighting the diversity of Black people in BC. It shares our stories in our own…
BCBHAS partnered with Vancouver Mural Fest (VMF) Winter Arts Fest to bring you “Dynamic Diasporas“. In the fall of 2021, Creative Doaa Magdy began doing collaborative research and project development with BCBHAS to source archival images as part of the artwork on display for Winter Arts Festival. “I am a…
This conversation will explore themes of economics, democracy, racial justice and Black identity. Dr. West is a professor at Union Theological Seminary and holds the title of Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. He has also taught at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris. Of the 20 books he has…
Dr. June Francis, PhD, MBA, LLB, Director, Institute for Diaspora Research & Engagement at SFU. Dr. Francis will address, discuss, and answer questions on the “History of anti-Black Racism in Canadian Schools and Universities – the significance of the Scarborough Charter for addressing anti-Black racism in Canadian institutions of higher…
Mifflin Wistar Gibbs was honoured by the Government of Canada on August 4, 2009 with these words: “Our government is proud to honour a man who worked tirelessly for the local Black community as a politician, businessman, and defender of human rights.” A plaque was then commissioned by Canada’s Historic…
This community room was opened at the newly built Greater Victoria Public Library sxʷeŋxʷəŋ təŋəxʷ (James Bay) Branch. Dr. Verna Gibbs, great-great grandniece traveled from San Francisco to attend this event.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, commemorative events were held at the Victoria Armoury on Bay Street. The Society’s display featured Pte. Robert Burt Gilbert who joined the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles in Victoria and was with the 103rd Battalion at Vimy Ridge in 1917.…
The City of Victoria proclaimed November 18, 2016 as Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Day to commemorate his election to Victoria City Council in 1856. Guests gathered at Victoria City Hall to welcome Mifflin Gibbs back to Victoria; he was here on a book tour to promote his book “Shadow and Light”,…
In 1858 both the Pierre and Alexander families arrived on Vancouver Island. Corinthia Pierre and Thomas Alexander were married on February 2, 1887. Between 1888 and 1907 they had seven children. Corinthia passed away on March 1, 1939, their daughter Eva died when she was just 1 year,1month old in…
Nancy and Peter Lester, with their two sons and one daughter joined the migration to Vancouver Island in 1858. They were both respected and active community members. In 1890 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Nancy passed away on February 10,1892. Peter Lester was a business man, invested in real-estate,…
BC Black History Awareness Society in partnership with Canada Post, hosted this commemorative stamp launch for Ferguson Jenkins and Carrie Best. Ferguson Jenkins is a Canadian baseball star. Though he spent most of his career in the US, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, Order of…
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque (designation date: 1997-09-22) commemorating the arrival of the Black settlers in 1858 as “an event of national historic significance” is located at the Central Saanich United Church, 7180 East Saanich Road, Vancouver Island, formerly The Shady Creek Church. Society and church members, families…
Annie Djiotsa was born in Cameroon. She has been living in Canada for 25 years; and has worked as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for nearly 20 years. Annie shared her story – a story of darkness and light, a story of peace and war; mostly a story…
Michael Regis is a graduate of Seneca College Liberal Arts Diploma in Humanities, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, York University, Honours Double Major, History, Law and Society, and now holds a M.A. Dispute Resolution. University of Victoria, School of Public Administration. In his spare time Michael has managed a fast-paced manufacturing team…
Officer Davindar Dalep has been a police officer for 20 years; all of his experience has been with the Oak Bay Police Department. He was a volunteer police reserve constable for 4 years with Oak Bay prior to his full time employment. Some of the sections that he has worked…
This workshop was led by Sylvia Mangue Alene, Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Human Resources; postgraduate diploma in Intercultural Education, Director, BC Black History Awareness Society. In 2017 Sylvia was elected President, BCBHAS. This workshop focuses on the management of social interactions with diverse people in…
With slides and conversation, Beth Cruise, MA University of Alberta, Founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Earth Institute, a certified teacher and a Journal Editor for the international organization, Sustaining All Life (SAL). At this time, Beth was a Director and Treasurer with BC Black History Awareness Society. Beth…
Did you say “Black” British Columbia? The Politics of Absent Presence between the Black Pioneers and Present Day African Refugees with Professor Handel Kashope Wright. Professor Wright is the Director of the Centre for Culture, Identity and Education, University of British Columbia. In this presentation he addresses the purpose and…
Paul Winn is a Lawyer, Staff Liaison with the Multiculturalism Committee in the BC Law Society and Senior Staff at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, at the Multiculturalism Secretariat, at the Affirmative Action for Visible Minorities Services, at the National Literacy Secretariat and the Anti-Discrimination Directorate. He wrote and hosted…
Born in Jamaica, Dr. Michael Vaughan, BA, BSc, MSc, MD, MCFP and Honorary Consul of Jamaica, has been a family practitioner in Victoria since 1978. He will explore the colourful history of Jamaica and its relationship with Canada, as well as information about the Jamaican Flag, the Jamaican National Anthem,…
Michelle Jacques was the Chief Curator at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV). She is a curator, art historian, educator and writer; and had previously held positions in the contemporary and Canadian departments at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. She has taught art history, curatorial studies and art…
RCMP Sgt. Craig Smith, Author/Historian from Halifax, Nova Scotia will speak about his book “You Had Better Be White by Six A.M.”: The African- Canadian Experience in the RCMP. Since 1999, he has published four books, including The Journey Continues: An Atlantic Canadian Black Experience approved as a resource tool…
In celebration of Women’s History Month in Canada, local historian and writer Merna Forster spoke about notable Black women in Canadian History. The presentation included stories and images of some of the Black women featured in her books; e.g. Georgia Ann Robinson, the first Black female police officer in North…
“Many changes are happening all over the world. Millions of African-Americans have been changed to believe the power of ‘yes, we can!’ and how it can change history forever — for the first time in US history, a black president is seating in the ‘White House’. From Tunis to Cairo;…
William Goldiet, President of African Heritage of Vancouver Island (AHAVI) William will share his story from growing up to becoming a refugee and beyond. William is originally from South Sudan. He left Sudan in 1994 to Lebanon where he lived as refugee for more than 15 years. He is now…
John Adams is an historian, author, founder and owner-operator of Discover the Past, a company in Victoria, BC that specializes in research, writing, presentations and walking tours. For 17 years, until his retirement in 2004, John was the regional manager for southwestern BC and Vancouver Island for the Heritage Branch,…
Bart Armstrong, Military Research Specialist. He served in 3 regiments of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves; after 17 years service, he retired as a Master Warrant Officer. He has also worked in police and security fields for over a decade and also for 25 years worked in various freelance capacities…
Janie Cooper-Wilson, artist, author speaker; has been featured in made-for-television documentaries such as Bloodlines, Famous Last Words, and Raise the Spirit; written two full-length historical publications; is a regular contributor to the Northern Terminus African-Canadian Journal. About Janie: born in Ontario; traces her Canadian ancestry back seven generations to the…
On Sunday, June 17th, 2012, at the age of 89, Jerry Bryant performed for our BCBHAS members, families and guests at an afternoon concert to celebrate Father’s Day. Jerry first came to Canada in 1960, moving with his family from Denver, Colorado to Alberta. They then moved to Victoria in…
Crawford Kilian shares his experiences in writing the 1st edition, published in 1978 and what compelled him to publish the 2nd edition in 2008. Update: the 3rd edition was published in 2020 by Harbour Publishing. This book, and all its editions “describes the hardships and triumphs of BC’s first Black…
In partnership with Metro Theatre. “Just an Ordinary Lawyer”, performance and songs by Tayo Aluko, Nigerian-born actor, singer and playwright, based in Liverpool, UK. This was a one-man show about Tunji Sowande, who left Nigeria to study law in Britain and who in 1968 became the first Black head of…