30 Years of Black History Month
Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries
This year, Thames Valley District School Board is honouring the Government of Canada’s theme for Black History Month, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” by highlighting historical Black Canadian nation builders, local Black visionaries, as well as the visionaries of tomorrow: Black Student Associations (BSAs) from across Thames Valley.
| Nation Builder: Lincoln Alexander |
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Colonel the Honourable Lincoln Alexander broke barriers as Canada’s first Black Member of Parliament in 1968, first Black federal cabinet minister in 1979, and Ontario’s first Black lieutenant governor in 1985. His legacy of human rights advocacy endures today. |
| Tomorrow's Visionaries: Amsa Yaro |
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Amsa Yaro is a Mixed Media artist who creates original works inspired by her Nigerian background, culture and life. As an art teacher, she covers a variety of classes with the London Public Library and London Arts Council.🎨 Yaro's art can also be seen in TVDSB's Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Strategy. |
| Nation Builder: Mary Ann Shadd Cary |
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Teacher, abolitionist and the first Black woman in North America to publish a newspaper, Mary Ann Shadd Cary opened a racially integrated school in Windsor and founded "The Provincial Freeman," which gave a voice to Black Canadians and called for an end to slavery.📰 |
| Tomorrow's Visionaries: Mo Bolden |
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Former London Lighting star Mo Bolden visits TVDSB schools like Northbrae PS weekly to coach basketball and read with students as part of an amazing community partnership with Next Level Sports at BGC London.📖🏀 Mo is an impactful mentor for TVDSB students! |
| Nation Builder: Albert Jackson |
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This week's Nation Builder is Albert Jackson, who became one of Canada’s first Black letter carriers in 1882.✉️ The race-based discrimination and demotion he faced rallied Toronto’s Black community, soon securing his reinstatement. He continued in this role for nearly 36 years. |
| Tomorrow's Visionaries: Yaya's Kitchen |
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Maryam and Malvin Wright are the founders of Yaya's Kitchen, a refined London dining experience celebrating the foods and traditions of the Sahel and the global Black diaspora. Their Afrofuturist vision: "honouring ancestral knowledge while imagining bold, sustainable futures through food." |
| Nation Builder: Viola Desmond |
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In 1946, Nova Scotia civil rights activist Viola Desmond refused to leave a “whites only” seat and was arrested, devoting the rest of her life to fighting injustice. She later became the 1st Canadian woman to be depicted on a Canadian banknote. |
| Tomorrow's Visionaries: Moses Latigo Odida |
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Moses Latigo Odida is a Ugandan-born filmmaker based in London. He has created a wide range of fully produced projects on issues like mental health, refugee crises, systemic racism, personal development and community.📽️ Moses has also held film workshops for Black TVDSB students! |
Learning Resources
February is observed as Black History Month at Thames Valley. It is an opportunity to celebrate the many achievements of Black Canadians and a chance to educate our students about the many noteworthy individuals who, throughout history, have had significant impact inducing change in our society.
In consultation with Black administrators, educators and clinical staff, the TVDSB Equity Team has prepared Black History and Futures resources, virtual class presentations and professional learning opportunities to support learning throughout February and beyond.
The TVDSB Equity Team would like to thank Thames Valley staff and students for their commitment to embedding learning related to Black history, people and social justice education throughout the school year.
View staff resources to support this learning:
- Equity SharePoint page (TVDSB Staff Only)
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