Celebrating Black history is celebrating Canadian history

The Black History Awareness Society held a launch event for Black History Month. Photos: BC Black History Awareness Society / Facebook

This article was created for Victoria Foundation, and produced independently by Capital Daily. It was approved by Victoria Foundation before it was published.

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The Black History Awareness Society (BHAS) is hosting several unique events you won’t want to miss out on this February for Black History Month—from interpretive theatre to spoken-word poetry and an impressive lineup of musical concerts.

The non-profit organization in Victoria hosts hundreds of events and workshops that shine light on Black history across south Vancouver Island and the rest of the province. Its goal is to promote diversity, overcome stereotypes, and increase understanding through education.

Anyone anywhere can celebrate Black History Month

This month, there will be a concert series at the Belfry Theatre featuring a lineup of talented singers and spoken-word poets, an interpretive theatre workshop geared towards talented youth, and a guided cemetery tour at Ross Bay revealing the life experiences of Black pioneers.

The society is also hosting an evening with Wayde Compton on Feb. 22. Compton is a Canadian writer, professor and co-founder of Commodore Books, the first Black-oriented press in Western Canada. Compton will serve as the keynote speaker for the BHAS this year, offering deep insights on the stories and significance of Black communities in BC.

“We’re here to make people aware of this important history. The more you know [...], the more opportunities you have to change things in the future,” said Silvia Mangue Alene, president of the BHAS.

She emphasized that celebrating diversity is a key aspect of the organization, and anyone, regardless of background, is welcome to participate.

“The people [who] come to celebrate with us are very diverse, and it’s so nice to see all sorts of backgrounds,” she explained. “It’s nice to see how we’re extending into other groups—people bring their friends, their families, and they all look different.”

Discovering a familiar history on a foreign land

Mangue Alene has been the active president of the Black History Awareness Society since 2015. She is also the owner and founder of Kulea Culture Society, a non-profit organization promoting understanding and respect for different cultures in her community, and works as an EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) coordinator for the City of Victoria. Much of her work focuses on inclusion and fostering a positive, multicultural environment in Victoria.

Born in Equatorial Guinea and raised in Spain as a young child, Mangue Alene came to Victoria in 2005 with the desire to volunteer and give her time to a meaningful cause. Thrust into a completely new environment, she immediately became interested in the BHAS, discovering a rich history of her ancestors on foreign land.

“It gave me purpose, it gave me pride and it gave me a sense of belonging, knowing that my ancestors have been here,” she recalled.

She said it’s very impactful for African and Caribbean newcomers to move to Victoria, “a place that’s so foreign to you, and learn that there’s an organization here to help educate you about the history of Black people. It’s such a joy to know that your ancestors were here, and that they did good.”

A range of opportunities to learn about Black History

Throughout her time as president, the BHAS evolved from a small organization to a powerful community spreading knowledge across the province.

Along with an online learning centre for parents, teachers and students, the BHAS has produced an online exhibit called BC Black Pioneers: Their Industry and Character Influenced the Vision of Canada, and has become a founding member of the BC Black History Curriculum Committee in 2020, influencing the Ministry of Education to include Canadian Black history in the BC curriculum.

The organization also works closely with teachers and the Greater Victoria Public Library to deliver presentations to students in middle schools and high schools throughout the Greater Victoria area.

“We want our youth to feel empowered that they, too, can belong and that this place is theirs as much as any other group,” said Mangue Alene.

She says it’s never too late to start learning. The BHAS provides countless opportunities for everyone to enrich their own knowledge of this wonderfully diverse community in Canada.

“This organization exists to unify people, not to separate. Black history is a history of Canada. It’s a history for everybody. And we’re very proud of that.”