Black Perseverance & Resilience – A Celebration of Black History Month

The Museum of Dufferin (MoD), along with community leader Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson of the Dufferin County Canadian Black Association (DCCBA), are holding a live in-person event to celebrate Black Perseverance & Resilience for 2023 Black History Month. Our host for the event is Alex Ihama, the executive director of the Canadian Congress on Workplace Diversity.

The keynote speaker is Natasha Henry-Dixon, an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University. The 2018 Vanier Scholar is researching the enslavement of African people in early Ontario. Natasha is the president of the Ontario Black History Society. Her publications include Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), Talking about Freedom: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (2012), several youth-focused titles and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history. Through her various professional, academic and community roles, Natasha’s work is grounded in her commitment to research, collect, preserve and disseminate the histories of Black Canadians.

The musical performance is by the godfather of Canadian hip-hop, author and TV Host (Maestro Chef Wes on Bell), Maestro Fresh Wes. Local artist Richie C will also perform. In the early 2000s Richie released his first Single “Hard to Be Away,” which became a popular hit on reggae radio across Canada, the U.S. and U.K.

There will be presentations from the Black Chapter of Centre Dufferin District High School and students from Streams Hub.