Tristan Barrocks photo: A flag raising ceremony was held to Tuesday, Feb. 1 to hoist the Pan African Flag at Museum of Dufferin on Tuesday in celebration of Black History Month with Dufferin OPP Inspector Terry Ward, Warden Wade Mills, Dufferin County Canadian Black Association founder Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson and OPP Staff Sargent Derek Banks.

Each February, Canada celebrates Black History Month, a call to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities. The theme for Black History Month 2022 is February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day.

In honour of Black History Month, the Simcoe County Museum will be hosting a virtual lecture series throughout the month of February. The series will feature expert guest speakers and local historians. Each lecture will explore a different aspect of the longhistory of Black people in Simcoe County and the Black Canadian experience in general.

Sheffield Park Black History Museum and Heritage Park – Monday, Feb. 7, 1-2 p.m.

Carolynn and Sylvia Wilson will be speaking about Sheffield Park Black History and Cultural Museum near Collingwood and their efforts to recognize the Black history of Grey and Simcoe Counties.

Sylvia and Carolynn are direct descendants of early Black pioneers of Simcoe and Grey Counties and co-owners of the Sheffield Park Black History and Cultural Museum.

They are both recipients of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women Award, the Order of Collingwood and Companion Award, among other awards in recognition of their community and youth initiatives. Carolynn volunteered for over 25 years to restore the Old Durham Road Black Pioneer Cemetery in Priceville, Ontario. Both she and Sylvia have served on the board of the Cemetery Committee.

Several Sides of the Story – Tuesday, Feb. 15, 1-2 p.m.

Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell will deliver her talk “Several Sides of the Story,” about learning to survive, even thrive, with different truths and different stories about black history and history in general.

Dr. Deverell has worked as an academic, broadcaster, television producer, journalist, and theatre artist. She has received numerous awards, including two Geminis, the Black Women’s Civic Engagement Network Leadership Award, and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2005 for pioneering work in broadcasting. From 2002 to 2005, she served as News Director at the Aboriginal Peoples’ Television Network (APTN), mentoring her Indigenous successor. In October 2021, Dr. Deverell was appointed Chancellor of Lakehead University, the first person of colour to serve in that role. A native of Texas, she has called Oro-Medonte home for the past 29 years.

The series is free to join and both individuals and groups can attend. Visit museum.simcoe.ca to register.

Collingwood Unity Collective

Dr. Jean Augustine joins host Nova Nicole, a member of the Collingwood Unity Collective, in celebration of Black History Month.

The Unity Collective’s virtual discussion is open to a limited number of participants at noon on Feb. 10. Register at bit.ly/CwoodStories. Group viewing is encouraged in workplace and classroom settings.

In 1995, Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, requested and received unanimous agreement from the House of Commons on her motion to declare February Black History Month in Canada. Her legacy as a politician, educator and advocate for social justice has contributed to transformational change in Canada.

Black Heroes Past, Present & Future

The Museum of Dufferin (MOD) and Dufferin County Canadian Black Association’s Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson, is hosting a live YouTube event at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27 to celebrate our Black Heroes Past, Present & Future for Black History Month.

Panelists are Grammy award winning artist and author Dan Hill who will read from his book I Am My Father’s Son, a memoir of love and forgiveness, the Godfather of Canadian Hip Hop and author Maestro Fresh Wes, Shelburne Deputy Mayor Steve Anderson, community leader and Soulyve Incorporated’s Phil Dewar, and Center District High School Black Chapter Youth group members Danielle Bryan, Ashanti Brooks and Tyra Harris will speak on the future.

The event will take place on Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. by video conferencing and will be live streamed on YouTube at the following link: www.youtube.com/ user/DufferinOne. There will be a Q&A session and we are requesting the community to submit theirquestions for the panel to info@dufferinmuseum.com.