Black History Month
In celebration and honour of Black History Month, we are bringing together a range of library, online and community resources.
Black History Month at KPL
Programs
- Music in the Lounge with Elaquent
Thursday, February 1 at 12 p.m. Central Library, Reading Lounge - Afro Latin American Film Festival: Carajita
Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m. Central Library, Theatre - From Africa to the World
Wednesday, February 7 at 7 p.m. Central Library, Meeting Room E - UW Community Talk: Inspiring Black Flourishing in Waterloo Region and Beyond
Tuesday, February 13 at 6:30 p.m. Central Library, Theatre - Reading Central Book Club: Don't Cry for Me
Wednesday, February 14 at 7 p.m. - Central Cinema: Summer of Soul
Wednesday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m. Central Library, Theatre - Music in the Lounge with Joni NehRita
Thursday, February 15 at 12 p.m. Central Library, Reading Lounge - Afro Latin American Film Festival: Bad Hair
Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 p.m. Central Library, Theatre - Artist at Work: A. Decker
Saturday, February 17 at 3 p.m. Central Library, Reading Lounge - Afro Latin American Film Festival: The Companion
Thursday, February 29 at 6:30 p.m. Central Library, Theatre - Cultural Expressions Unveiled: The Artistry of Ceremonial Artifacts in Africa Culture
Thursday, February 29 at 7 p.m.
Resources
Check out items in our catalogue tagged with #BHM2024, our local history blog post about Kitchener's first barber, or discover content available in our Virtual Library:
- Canadian Encyclopedia – Black History in Canada
- CBC Corner - Black on the Prairies
- CBC Corner – Black Stories
- National Film Board – Celebrating Black History Month with a Look Back at Three Pioneering Filmmakers
- National Film Board – Black Communities in Canada: a rich history
- Kanopy – Staff Curated Watch List (access films with your library card)
Black History Month in the community
Community Events
- Art from the Heart
Saturday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m.
The W Programming Centre, 20 Dickson St. Unit 101, Cambridge - CCAWR Black History Month Launch
Wednesday, February 4 at 11:30 a.m.
Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, 19 Huron Road, Kitchener - Hair Joy: Celebrating our kinks, our coils, our curls
Monday, February 11 at 10 a.m.
Kinbridge Community Association, 200 Christopher Dr., Cambridge - Black Love Treatment
Saturday, February 17 at 1 p.m.
Cambridge Community Players, 47 Water St. S, Cambridge - Black History Month Celebration
Saturday, February 24 at 12 p.m.
Idea Exchange, Queen’s Square, 1 N Square, Cambridge
Community Organizations
- African Canadian Association of Waterloo Region & Area
- African Family Revival Organization
- Caribbean-Canadian Association of Waterloo Region
- Kind Minds Family Wellness
- Guelph Black Heritage Society
- Rhythm and Blues Cambridge
Online Learning Resources
Online Learning
- National Public Radio – Black Stories.Black Truths.
- Ontario Black History Society
- Detroit Public Library African American Reading Booklist
- BC Black History Awareness Society
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights – Black History and Human Rights
Social Media
- @blackparentcouncil_kw
Black Parent Council KW is a space for parents to come together for ACBi children in Advocacy, Education, and Community Care. - @selamdebs
Selam Debs is an anti-racism and racial justice educator and speaker in Waterloo Region. - @blackandfree_
Black and Free deepens, enlivens and expresses themes of blackness and freedom. Started by Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae in 2017. - @black.memory.co
Black Memory Collective is a community for Black archivists, memory workers, and researchers who engage with archives in Canada. - @blackbookwr
Waterloo Region's Black owned business directory