February is Black History Month
February 1, 2017
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Every month of February, Unifor National Council 4000 recognizes Black History Month, a time to celebrate the heritage, traditions and culture of the people of African descent and diaspora.
The precursor to Black History Month was Negro History Week, established in the United States in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. The second week of February was chosen on account it marked the birthday of both former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who disapproved of slavery, and Frederick Douglass, the renowned African-American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman who escaped slavery and became a leader of the abolitionist movement to end slavery in the U.S. In 1976 as part of the U.S. Bicentennial, the informal expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month was officially recognized by the U.S. government. |
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Black History Month was first celebrated in the United Kingdom in 1987. In December 1995, Canada began to acknowledge the too-often neglected accomplishments of the Black community when the House of Commons officially recognized the month of February as Black History Month in Canada. The Canadian Senate followed in February 2008.
More than 21-years since the Government of Canada officially acknowledged the many accomplishments of the Black community, this year, if you can imagine, the Province of Alberta finally proclaimed February as Black History Month for the first time in the province's history. More than 40-years of Progressive Conservative Party rule in Alberta, Black History Month was never formally acknowledged. Today, NDP Leader and Alberta Premier invited some of the leaders of Alberta's Black community to the Alberta Legislature to officially make this important proclamation. Click here to read Premier Notley's post on her Facebook page.
As part of Black History Month, below we are featuring the 1996 National Film Board of Canada documentary, 'The Road Taken', which takes a nostalgic ride through history to present of the experiences of Black sleeping-car porters who worked on Canada's railways from the early 1900s through the 1960s. There was a strong sense of pride among these men and they were well-respected by their community. Yet, harsh working conditions prevented them from being promoted to other railway jobs until finally, in 1955, porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union.
Claiming discrimination under the Canada Fair Employment Act, the Blacks won their right to work in other areas. Interviews, archival footage and the music of noted jazz musician Joe Sealy (whose father was a porter) combine to portray a fascinating history that might otherwise have been forgotten.
More than 21-years since the Government of Canada officially acknowledged the many accomplishments of the Black community, this year, if you can imagine, the Province of Alberta finally proclaimed February as Black History Month for the first time in the province's history. More than 40-years of Progressive Conservative Party rule in Alberta, Black History Month was never formally acknowledged. Today, NDP Leader and Alberta Premier invited some of the leaders of Alberta's Black community to the Alberta Legislature to officially make this important proclamation. Click here to read Premier Notley's post on her Facebook page.
As part of Black History Month, below we are featuring the 1996 National Film Board of Canada documentary, 'The Road Taken', which takes a nostalgic ride through history to present of the experiences of Black sleeping-car porters who worked on Canada's railways from the early 1900s through the 1960s. There was a strong sense of pride among these men and they were well-respected by their community. Yet, harsh working conditions prevented them from being promoted to other railway jobs until finally, in 1955, porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union.
Claiming discrimination under the Canada Fair Employment Act, the Blacks won their right to work in other areas. Interviews, archival footage and the music of noted jazz musician Joe Sealy (whose father was a porter) combine to portray a fascinating history that might otherwise have been forgotten.
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