Black History Month

Each February, the City of Toronto is proud to produce and support events and exhibits during Black History Month, inviting the public to explore and celebrate the heritage, traditions and culture of Black Canadians.

In 1979, Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to proclaim Black History Month through the efforts of many individuals and organizations such as the Ontario Black History Society.

Black History Month is an opportunity for the City of Toronto to recognize the contributions that Black Canadians make to the life of Toronto in such areas as education, medicine, art, culture, public service, economic development, politics and human rights.

The City annually marks Black History Month and works continually throughout the year on the goals defined by the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, which was endorsed by City Council in 2017.

Events

Toronto Public Library

Browse upcoming events at numerous library branches in celebration of Black History Month, including after February. Some events require advanced registration.

Exploring the City

Self-guided tours

  • Explore this stretch of Eglinton Street West from Bathurst Street to Dufferin Street – home to Little Jamaica – which has developed quickly over the past century and continues to transform. View the Eglinton West Growth and Transformation tour.
  • Take in the arts and landmarks of Oakwood Village, a neighborhood just south of Little Jamaica and known for its Caribbean, Portuguese and Italian communities. View the Arts in Oakwood tour.

Public art & parks honouring Black figures

History & Literature

Online Exhibits

Explore Caribbean Connection: One Man’s Crusade, an exhibit looking at Donald Moore, a community leader and civil rights activist who fought to change Canada’s exclusionary immigration laws.

Online Museum Shop

Explore unique items from the Museum shop that celebrate Black culture and significant Black figures in history.

Resources

See milestones in Canadian Black history.

Discover history through archival evidence of Toronto’s Black population in the City Archives.

See recommendations on how to research Black genealogy.

Learn about Dr. Rita Cox and the Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection at Toronto Public Library.

Deepen your understanding of the impacts of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery in Toronto and Canada.

Bookshelf

Browse lists of fiction and non-fiction ebooks available through the Toronto Public Library on OverDrive:

YouTube Playlists

Watch videos created by Black artists for Toronto History Museums.

Watch Black firefighters speak candidly about Black History Month and their experiences in the Toronto Fire Services.

Social Media

Social media users can follow the following City accounts for images and stories of significant Black figures to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth: