Events

Banner black backgound logo upper right, gold text on left and bottom BHM 2023 sharing stories, realities, and legacies in celebration of black history month

For close to 30 years BC Black History Awareness Society has hosted a Black History Month program to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of historical and contemporary people of African descent. We have put together another great month with 6 public events!

: camera angle is upward, gala setting with lighted suspended globes, upper torso of guests shown with glasses raised

Wednesday, Feb 1st
BHM LAUNCH AND RECEPTION
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Da Vinci Centre, 195 Bay Street, Vic West. Suggested donation $20.00/person. This is a 19+event.
Join BCBHAS President and Board Members. Learn about some of our collective BC Black History, Black History Month 2023 events, and enjoy the music of performer and songwriter Caleb Hart. Catered by “Stir It Up” – authentic Caribbean soul food. Dress: formal. Reserve your spot.

table with numerous books, magazines, brochures, free-standing poster at back with images, maps, text

Saturday, Feb 11th
BLACK HISTORY AND HERITAGE DAY 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Royal BC Museum in Clifford Carl Hall. 1-4 pm. Free. Take this opportunity to meet and talk with direct descendants about their stories and family history. The exhibits include images, artifacts and archival documents. This year, we will have a special exhibit, by Ron Nicholson, to honor the members and descendants of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the all-Black Canadian Battalion that served in World War I.

Shady Creek Church in Central Saanich

Sunday, February 12th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CHURCH SERVICE Service starts at 10:15 am. Central Saanich United Church, formerly Shady Creek Church, 7180 East Saanich Road. Church offering.

Tea, coffee, and home-made baked goods are available after the service by donation.

ESI EDUGYAN headshot

Thursday, February 16th
Out of the Sun: On Black History and Storytelling with Canadian award-winning author ESI EDUGYAN
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm PST Hermann’s Upstairs, 751 View Street, Victoria.

Attend in-person or watch online.
Suggested donation: in-person: $25.00 regular/$15.00 students, BCBHAS, and CCPA members.
Online: Free, please donate as you wish.

Meet bestselling Canadian novelist ESI EDUGYAN, noted for writing “richly imagined and impeccably researched stories that illuminate complicated truths about race and belonging”.
A partnership with BC Black History Awareness Society and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives– BC Office (CCPA-BC) and sponsored in part by Hermann’s Upstairs, Government of Canada, Government of British Columbia, and CRD Arts.
TICKETS

Group of about 50 people, women, men and youth, wearing coats/hats gathered around gravesites at Ross Bay Cemetery, speaker stands in front of one of the grave markers, grass underfoot, trees in background

Sunday, February 26th
ROSS BAY CEMETERY GUIDED TOUR
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Rain or sunshine
A guided tour of Black pioneer gravesites and others who were influential in their arrival to BC

$5.00 regular/$2.00 OCS & BCBHAS Members

Monday, February 27th CELEBRATE THE POWER AND JOY OF MUSIC at BELFRY THEATRE

black man sitting on weathered bench looking directly at the camera, bent slightly forward, shrubbery in the background, foreground is saxophone on its side resting on low weathered table

We are honoured to have two esteemed performers celebrate with us and you for Black History Month 2023. Performances by NOEDY HD QUARTET, and SADÉ AWELE with the SERENGETI band.

Belfry Theatre, 1291 Gladstone Ave, Victoria
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm PST, doors open at 6:30 pm
TICKETS
suggested donation $10.00/person for in-person and livestream.

black women, face uplifted angled away from the camera, left arm bent with hand at side of head, wearing lime-green blouse-like halter top and white and dark patterned hip-hugger pants, at beach with buildings in the far background

BCBHAS and our Black History Month program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC. Our partners in bringing this BHM 2023 program to you are: Arts on View Society, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives- BC Office (CCPA-BC), Belfry Theatre, Global TV (media sponsor) HERE Magazine (Social Media) Old Cemeteries Society, RBC Royal Bank of Canada, Royal BC Museum and Archives, and Saanich Pioneers Society.

Other BCBHAS Black History Month Events and more
banquet table, dark tablecloth, table set with white plates, cutlery, and sparkling wine glasses, indistinct groups of people standing in conversation at far end of table

*By invitation
Wednesday, February 15th
BC Black History Awareness Society
presents the inaugural Victoria’s Black Entrepreneurs Dinner at the University Club of Victoria at UVIC, with RBC Royal Bank sponsorship.

Nerissa Allen, President and CEO, Black Business Association of BC is the keynote speaker. Learn more

Gule Wamkulu Exhibit: Dancing Indigenous Governance
January 14 – April 8, 2023
UVIC Legacy Art Gallery, 630 Yates Street

SPECIAL OPENING EVENT: SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 AT 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST
This is a Gule Wamkulu ceremony to honour Ubuntu and Indigenous Elders. Please bring loonies and toonies to offer as tokens of gratitude for the knowledge and teachings of the Gule Wamkulu mask carriers.

This immersive exhibition features photographs, films, and objects that celebrate how we, as diverse African Canadians, build community while being relationally respectful of all Coast Salish expressions of sovereignty.

February 11th : Second Dialogue Session for African Ancestry Project Youth Dialogue Series
Ongoing: “Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum”
is now a travelling exhibition
BCBHAS Call to action for donations with info about receipts

Missed an event? Check our Event Archive Information Page and our History of Events including access to the 2021, 2022 Black History Month guest speaker videos.