Black Excellence Day held Monday, January 15 in 2024, is a day to celebrate Black history and learn more about Black stories, art, and people leading up to February Black History Month. This day was chosen to honour civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Formerly known as Black Shirt Day (see: reason for the name change), we stand in solidarity with Black Canadians and rejoice in their contributions and achievements.
Black Excellence Day recognizes the significant contributions of Black Canadians that have too often been overlooked and unacknowledged in our history and curriculum, along with the past and present ongoing struggles of Black and racialized Canadians.
For more information and resources to use with your classes:
- Website: Black Excellence Day
- Being Black in Canada (CBC)
- Notable Figures:
- Interactive: Historical Black Canadians You Should Know
- Illustrated: Black Changemakers
- Trailblazers Making Change Now
- Video: Heritage Minutes: Viola Desmond
- Video: Women in Canadian History: Rosemary Brown
- Black History:
- Education Resources:
- Social Justice Resources (BCTF)
- AOEC (Anti-Oppression Educators Collective PSA)
- Unwritten Histories
- Black History Educational Package
- Historica Canada: Black History in Canada
- Education Guide: BC Black History Awareness Society
