African Heritage Month

Nova Scotians will have several opportunities to celebrate African Heritage Month during the month of February.

The opening ceremonies, hosted and organized by the Black History Month committee, kick off the month and will be held at 7 p.m. today, Feb. 2, at the Halifax North Branch Memorial Public Library on 2285 Gottingen St.

A document signed by Barry Barnet, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and Premier John Hamm proclaiming February as African Heritage Month, will be presented.

"African Heritage Month is an opportunity to reflect upon the unique and significant history of Black settlements in Nova Scotia and to acknowledge those who continue to make valuable contributions to the rich social and cultural identity of our province," said Mr. Barnet.

Black History Month was founded in 1926 by Harvard-educated Black historian, Carter G. Woodson. It started as a week in February to celebrate the history, contributions and culture of African- Americans. Fifty years later, as part of the American bicentennial celebration in 1976, the week was expanded to a month, becoming National Black History Month.

In Canada, official recognition came in the early 1950s when the Canadian Negro Women's Association successfully petitioned the Toronto city council to acknowledge the week, but it was not until the late 1970s that February would be known as Black History Month in Canada.

For 22 years, the Black History Month Association has co-ordinated and promoted African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia.

Each year the association produces an African Heritage Month events calendar that lists a variety of programs, including information sessions on issues facing the Black community, workshops for children and special presentations and events.

Each week during the month the African Nova Scotian Affairs website will feature a biographical sketch on a person of African descent who made an important or noteworthy contribution to Nova Scotia. For more information see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/ansa/specialevents.asp .

The Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs will also host a screening of the documentary Holland Remembered about the recent journey to Holland by an African Nova Scotian Second World War veteran who helped liberate the country 60 years ago.

Additional event listings can also be found on the Office's website under community events at www.gov.ns.ca/ansa/events.asp and on the Black History Month Association's web page www.chebucto.ns.ca/heritage/BHMA/index.html .