Black History Month

February is Black History Month and we are celebrating the work and lives of Black artists.  Throughout history, the creative contributions of Black artists and countless ethnic groups have been obscured and often overlooked by the art world. The art and artefacts of a society tell a story; it can also encourage inspiration, mobilisation and healing. Black art gives voice to those previously silenced celebrating the beauty and triumph of Black culture.…

For those of us interested in learning more about an aspect of history, primary sources are invaluable to understanding past societies and events. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a primary source is a document, image, map, object or information source contemporary to an era or event. They offer a window into various historical periods by capturing aspects them as expressed by those living through them – not unlike a time machine.…

February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month What better way to celebrate Black History throughout the year than with book suggestions to add to your own reading wishlist?  In this virtual book display, we selected books published in the past couple of years that shine a light on the Black Canadian experience.  From poetry to biography,  short stories to non-fiction we hope that you enjoy these suggestions.   Poetry…

As a music lover, I have always cherished the many resources the library provides for those who want to learn more about different musicians and genres. In addition to musical scores, the library subscribes to many streaming databases and has an extensive collection of CDs and LP vinyl that you can request and put on hold with your OneCard. As it is Black History Month, I sat down with Lucinda Johnston, our…

The University of Alberta Library subscribes to numerous databases that are core for certain disciplines, but also really deserving of wider attention. Here is one of those gems in honour of Black History Month… AllAfrica.com is best described in their own words as, “a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing news and information from over 140 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and…

“Usually, when people talk about the “strength” of black women . . . . they ignore the reality that to be strong in the face of oppression is not the same as overcoming oppression, that endurance is not to be confused with transformation.” ― bell hooks The world has been blessed by the existence of many extraordinary Black women who have called out the ongoing injustices that plague society. The history and…

This blog post was written by Cameron Library ISS Grace Romanow as part of our continuing Black History Month series exploring Black Futures. One of the most beautiful things about technology is that it’s accessible to everyone… or is it?  What happens when the algorithm used in the creation of technology is skewed against people of colour; when the data used to train artificial intelligence is already biased against minorities based on…

L’histoire du noire évolue différemment selon les localités géographiques à travers le monde. Sur certains continents ou régions, la population noire est native ou à poser racine il ya des siècles pendant que sur d’autres la présence de population noire est relativement plus récente. A l’occasion du mois de Février déclaré le Mois de l’histoire du noire, il nous est donné une chance de faire une pause et de nous immerger dans…

Cette année, nous avons adopté une approche différente du Mois de l’histoire des Noirs à la bibliothèque, en recadrant notre attention du passé vers un avenir pour les Noirs. La route vers un avenir pour les noirs peut sembler longue et impraticable, mais il y a lieu de garder de l’optimisme! Cette collection présente des œuvres sur les mouvements militants contemporains qui peuvent servir à la fois de carte et d’inspiration sur…