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Welcome to Vancouver Island Regional Library

Home / Black History Month

Black History Month

February is Black History Month!

Learn and celebrate Black History Month with these online and print resources and entertainment! We’ve curated a variety of materials in different formats for you, from local to Canada-wide.

For Adults

  1. READ the book on the subject of Black pioneers in BC.  Vancouver area resident Crawford Kilian* wrote it and we are delighted to be able to offer instant and unlimited access to it via KnowBC.com! Read part or all of Go Do Some Great Thing online below by clicking the book cover.  Or if you prefer a more traditional book format, find it in our catalogue.
  2. VISIT the online Black history in BC exhibit.  British Columbia’s Black Pioneers influenced the Vision of Canada features 20 stories, 9 videos and 86 gallery items that include images, photographs, maps, and archival documents; all are bilingual.
  3. GET INVOLVED more with resources from the BC Black History Awareness Society.

*We would like to draw your attention to the new Foreword in this book by Black academic Dr. Adam Rudder which addresses the issue of Black history being told by a white person. 

Click to go to online book of Go Do Some Great Thing      Click to go to KnowBC database launch page.      Click to visit the digital museum exhibit for Black History in BC.      Click to open BC Black History Awareness Society website.

More Resources

Resources on Local Black History

? READ: Go Do Some Great Thing: The Black Pioneers of British Columbia by Crawford Kilian
? LISTEN: Hermann’s Jazz Club in Victoria
? WATCH: Secret Victoria: Rush to Freedom directed by Melinda Friedman
? LEARN: Digital Museum for British Columbia’s Black Pioneers
? LEARN: The Hidden History of African American Settlers in Wellington, BC

Nonfiction books, journalism, and films written and directed by Black Canadian women

? READ: The Hanging of Angélique: The Untold Story of Canadian Slavery and the Burning of Old Montréal by Afua Cooper
? LISTEN: Dear Current Occupant by Chelene Knight
? WATCH: Farewell Regent directed by Christene A Browne
? LEARN: Journalist Amanda Parris’s Black Light column for CBC

Resources on Black Lives Matter in Canada

? READ: Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter Canada by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson, and Syrus Marcus
? LISTEN: Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present by Robyn Maynard
? WATCH: The Skin We’re In Documentary featuring Desmond Cole and directed by Charles Officer
? LEARN: Black Lives Matter Canada Website

Local Genealogy and Family History Resources

Are you interested in getting started with genealogy? Use Ancestry Library Edition this month to discover African Canadian family history. Use the “forms” function in Ancestry Library Edition to keep track of your research. Check out this example of an in-depth genealogy mapping of the Vancouver Island/Salt Spring and area Gwynne / Wood family, who descended from enslaved African Americans who came to Canada in the 1800s.

Emma Stark is a famous Black Vancouver Islander who was the first Black teacher on the island in 1874. She worked at the Cranberry-Cedar School, where it was rare for both women and/or African Canadians to be employed in the profession. She died in 1890 at the age of 33 from an unknown illness. A plaque in recognition of her teaching career is located at 331 Wesley street in Nanaimo, where Emily once lived. You can view Emma Stark’s family tree and see her family’s genealogy to the present day! Watch one of her descendants, Naidine Sims talk on her family’s history.

 

Recent Black Canadian Fiction

Where we end & begin Cover
Where we end…
The island of forgetting Cover
The island of…
River Mumma : a novel Cover
River Mumma :…
Broughtupsy : a novel Cover
Broughtupsy : a…
In the Upper Country Cover
In the Upper…
The Journey Prize stories. Volume 33, 2023 : The best of Canada's new Black writers Cover
The Journey Prize…
Junie Cover
Junie
Jade Is a twisted green : a novel Cover
Jade Is a…
Even though I knew the end Cover
Even though I…
The fires of vengeance Cover
The fires of…
The rage of dragons Cover
The rage of…
Uncertain kin Cover
Uncertain kin
Code noir : metamorphoses Cover
Code noir :…
We rip the world apart Cover
We rip the…
More

Recent Black Canadian Non-Fiction

Building a nest from the bones of my people Cover
Building a nest…
Morgan, Cara-Lyn, author.
Black harbour : slavery and the forgotten histories of Black people in Newfoundland and Labrador Cover
Black harbour :…
Campbell, Xaiver Michael, author.
Salvage : readings from the wreck Cover
Salvage : readings…
Brand, Dionne, 1953- author.
Black activist, black scientist, black icon : the autobiography of Dr. Howard D. McCurdy Cover
Black activist, black…
McCurdy, Howard, 1932-2018, author.
Black boys like me : confrontations with race, identity, and belonging Cover
Black boys like…
Morris, Matthew R., author.
Ignite : unlock the hidden potential within Cover
Ignite : unlock…
De Grasse, Andre, 1994- author.
Curious sounds : a dialogue in three movements Cover
Curious sounds :…
Mooking, Roger, 1973- author.
Son of elsewhere : a memoir in pieces Cover
Son of elsewhere…
Abdelmahmoud, Elamin, author.
Ordinary notes Cover
Ordinary notes
Sharpe, Christina Elizabeth, author.
Invisible boy : a memoir of self-discovery Cover
Invisible boy :…
Mooney, Harrison, author.
Rehearsals for living Cover
Rehearsals for living
Maynard, Robyn, author.
Son of elsewhere : a memoir in pieces Cover
Son of elsewhere…
Abdelmahmoud, Elamin, author.
The girl in the middle : growing up between black and white, rich and poor Cover
The girl in…
Granofsky, Anais, author.
Rebound : sports, community, and the inclusive city Cover
Rebound : sports,…
King, Perry (Journalist), author.
Where beauty survived : an Africadian memoir Cover
Where beauty survived…
Clarke, George Elliott, author.
Disorientation : being Black in the world Cover
Disorientation : being…
Williams, Ian, 1979- author.
Out of the sun : on race and storytelling Cover
Out of the…
Edugyan, Esi, author.
Do better : spiritual activism for fighting and healing from white supremacy Cover
Do better :…
Ricketts, Rachel, 1984- author.
Willie : the game-changing story of the NHL's first black player Cover
Willie : the…
O'Ree, Willie, 1935- author.
More

Afrofuturism

Binti Cover
Binti
The prey of gods [paperback] Cover
The prey of…
Dhalgren Cover
Dhalgren
An unkindness of ghosts Cover
An unkindness of…
Parable of the sower Cover
Parable of the…
Black leopard, red wolf Cover
Black leopard, red…
House of whispers. Volume 1, The power divided Cover
House of whispers.…
The city we became Cover
The city we…
Octavia's brood [paperback] : science fiction stories from social justice movements Cover
Octavia's brood [paperback]…
The rage of dragons Cover
The rage of…
The fifth season Cover
The fifth season
Out there screaming : an anthology of new Black horror Cover
Out there screaming…
Mindscape : a novel Cover
Mindscape : a…
How long 'til black future month? Cover
How long 'til…
The city we became Cover
The city we…
Africa risen : a new era of speculative fiction Cover
Africa risen :…
Devour Cover
Devour
The old drift Cover
The old drift
Noor Cover
Noor
Riot baby Cover
Riot baby
Noor Cover
Noor
The memory librarian : and other stories of Dirty computer Cover
The memory librarian…
The galaxy game [paperback] Cover
The galaxy game…
Brown girl in the ring Cover
Brown girl in…
The rage of dragons Cover
The rage of…
The rage of dragons Cover
The rage of…
Black leopard, red wolf Cover
Black leopard, red…
Riot baby Cover
Riot baby
The deep Cover
The deep
Kindred Cover
Kindred
The Black God's Drums Cover
The Black God's…
The city we became Cover
The city we…
More

Black Canadian Poets

Wires that sputter : poems Cover
Wires that sputter…
Badour, Britta, author.
Tender Cover
Tender
Hamilton, Sylvia, author.
A selected history of soul speak Cover
A selected history…
Thompson, Andrea, author.
Africanthology : perspectives of Black Canadian poets Cover
Africanthology : perspectives…
Autowar Cover
Autowar
Touré, Assiyah Jamilla, author.
Mother muse Cover
Mother muse
Goodison, Lorna, author.
The day-breakers Cover
The day-breakers
Fraser, Michael, 1969- author.
Each one a furnace Cover
Each one a…
Oloruntoba, Tolu, 1985- author.
Love and other failed religions Cover
Love and other…
Swan, Dane, author.
The junta of happenstance Cover
The junta of…
Oloruntoba, Tolu, 1985- author.
The dyzgraphxst : a poem Cover
The dyzgraphxst :…
Lubrin, Canisia, 1984- author.
With/holding Cover
With/holding
Gibson, Chantal N., author.
Eat salt / gaze at the ocean : poems Cover
Eat salt /…
Désil, Junie, author.
Make the world new : the poetry of Lillian Allen Cover
Make the world…
Allen, Lillian, 1951- author, writer of afterword.
Black matters Cover
Black matters
Cooper, Afua, author.
I am still your Negro : an homage to James Baldwin Cover
I am still…
Mason-John, Valerie, author.
How she read : poems Cover
How she read…
Gibson, Chantal N., author.
The response of weeds : a misplacement of black poetry on the prairies Cover
The response of…
Bickersteth, Bertrand,, 1969- author.
Burning sugar : poems Cover
Burning sugar :…
Blain, Cicely Belle, 1993- author.
Word problems : poems Cover
Word problems :…
Williams, Ian, 1979- author.
Magnetic equator Cover
Magnetic equator
Kellough, Kaie, 1975- author.
The gospel of breaking Cover
The gospel of…
Christmas, Jillian, 1983- author.
The blue clerk : ars poetica in 59 versos Cover
The blue clerk…
Brand, Dionne, 1953- author.
Voodoo hypothesis Cover
Voodoo hypothesis
Lubrin, Canisia, 1984- author.
Wayside sang : poems Cover
Wayside sang :…
Nicholson, Cecily, 1974- author.
Braided skin : poems Cover
Braided skin :…
Knight, Chelene, 1981- author.
The great Black North : contemporary African Canadian poetry Cover
The great Black…
More

African Authors

Bless the daughter raised by a voice in her head : poems Cover
Bless the daughter…
Where we end & begin Cover
Where we end…
Honey and spice : a novel Cover
Honey and spice…
Such a beautiful thing to behold : a novel Cover
Such a beautiful…
Days come & go Cover
Days come &…
America made me a Black man : a memoir Cover
America made me…
The furrows : an elegy : a novel Cover
The furrows :…
All rise : resistance and rebellion in South Africa, 1910-1948 : a graphic history Cover
All rise :…
Each one a furnace Cover
Each one a…
On rotation : a novel Cover
On rotation :…
Glory : a novel Cover
Glory : a…
An African abroad Cover
An African abroad
Africa risen : a new era of speculative fiction Cover
Africa risen :…
Yinka, where is your huzband? Cover
Yinka, where is…
Africa is not a country : notes on a bright continent Cover
Africa is not…
Vagabonds! Cover
Vagabonds!
More

For Children

Digital Children’s Titles for Black History Month

Head over to our ebook/eaudiobook collection to view and borrow dozens of children’s books, from picture books to middle grade novels, by Black authors. Authors include Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, Jason Reynolds, and Brandy Colbert. Topics range from basketball to Black history, Muhammad Ali, friendship, Viola Desmond, sister relationships, and more!

Black Canadian Authors For Kids

Jean Augustine Cover
Jean Augustine
Taylor, Wanda Lauren, author.
The shape of lost things Cover
The shape of…
Everett, Sarah, author.
A recipe for rhyme and rescue Cover
A recipe for…
Taylor, Wanda Lauren, author.
Getting us to Grandma's Cover
Getting us to…
Hohn, Nadia L., author.
Gamerville Cover
Gamerville
Christmas, Johnnie, author, illustrator.
The kids book of Black history in Canada Cover
The kids book…
Sadlier, Rosemary, author.
When I wrap my hair Cover
When I wrap…
Grant, Shauntay, author.
Snowy mittens : a winter adventure Cover
Snowy mittens :…
Grant, Shauntay, author.
The hockey skates Cover
The hockey skates
Subban, Karl, author.
The probability of everything Cover
The probability of…
Everett, Sarah, author.
The Grover School pledge Cover
The Grover School…
Taylor, Wanda Lauren, author.
Malaika, carnival queen Cover
Malaika, carnival queen
Hohn, Nadia L., author.
I am big Cover
I am big
Sadu, Itah, author.
Garden of lost socks Cover
Garden of lost…
Edugyan, Esi, author.
The hockey jersey Cover
The hockey jersey
Richardson, Jael Ealey, 1980- author.
Idia of the Benin Kingdom Cover
Idia of the…
Aire, Ekiuwa, author.
Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba Cover
Njinga of Ndongo…
Aire, Ekiuwa, author.
Sandy toes : a summer adventure Cover
Sandy toes :…
Grant, Shauntay, author.
My fade is fresh Cover
My fade is…
Grant, Shauntay, author.
Dear Black child Cover
Dear Black child
Rodaah, Rahma, author.
Swim team Cover
Swim team
Christmas, Johnnie, author, artist.
Beautiful you, beautiful me Cover
Beautiful you, beautiful…
Spillett, Tasha, 1988- author.
Black Panther, Wakanda forever : the courage to dream Cover
Black Panther, Wakanda…
Joseph, Frederick (Writer), author.
Granny's kitchen : a Jamaican story of food and family Cover
Granny's kitchen :…
Smith, Sadé, author.
La surprise de Malaika Cover
La surprise de…
Hohn, Nadia L., auteur.
Moonwalking Cover
Moonwalking
Elliott, Zetta, author.
Beatrice and Croc Harry : a novel Cover
Beatrice and Croc…
Hill, Lawrence, 1957- author.
Chasing bats and tracking rats : urban ecology, community science, and how we share our cities Cover
Chasing bats and…
Guy, Cylita, author.
C is for carnival Cover
C is for…
Marshall, Yolanda T., author.
Welcome to the cypher Cover
Welcome to the…
Dill, Khodi, author.
Black, brown or white we all feel : targets racism and reinforces positive behavior in children Cover
Black, brown or…
Yarmeto, Marswa Blossom, author.
Lone runner Cover
Lone runner
McLean, Dirk, 1956- author.
Race with me! Cover
Race with me!
De Grasse, Andre, 1994- author.
Movers, shakers, history makers : the Canadian Black history book of rhymes Cover
Movers, shakers, history…
Newton, Akilah, author.
Malaika's surprise Cover
Malaika's surprise
Hohn, Nadia L., author.
I sang you down from the stars Cover
I sang you…
Spillett, Tasha, 1988- author.
Hockey night in Kenya Cover
Hockey night in…
Mutinda, Danson, author.
Trailblazers : the Black pioneers who have shaped Canada Cover
Trailblazers : the…
Ridley-Padmore, Tiyahna, author.
A likkle Miss Lou : how Jamaican poet Louise Bennett Coverley found her voice Cover
A likkle Miss…
Hohn, Nadia L., author.
A place inside of me : a poem to heal the heart Cover
A place inside…
Elliott, Zetta, author.
Dear Black girls Cover
Dear Black girls
Nicole, Shanice, 1992- author.
Where are you, Agnes? Cover
Where are you,…
McWatt, Tessa, author.
Boonoonoonous hair Cover
Boonoonoonous hair
Senior, Olive, author.
I promise Cover
I promise
Hernández, Catherine, 1977- author.
My hair is beautiful Cover
My hair is…
Grant, Shauntay, author.
Black women who dared Cover
Black women who…
Moyer, Naomi M., 1977- author.
Africville Cover
Africville
Grant, Shauntay, author.
Nana's cold days Cover
Nana's cold days
Badoe, Adwoa, author.
Mayann's train ride Cover
Mayann's train ride
Francis, Mayann Elizabeth, author.
Oscar lives next door : a story inspired by Oscar Peterson's childhood Cover
Oscar lives next…
Farmer, Bonnie, 1959- author.
Music from the sky Cover
Music from the…
Gillard, Denise, 1961- author.
Bud, not Buddy Cover
Bud, not Buddy
Curtis, Christopher Paul, author.
Please clean up your room! Cover
Please clean up…
Sadu, Itah, 1961-
The stone thrower Cover
The stone thrower
Richardson, Jael Ealey, 1980- author.
Viola Desmond won't be budged! Cover
Viola Desmond won't…
Warner, Jody Nyasha, 1969-
Elijah of Buxton Cover
Elijah of Buxton
Curtis, Christopher Paul.
MORE

For Teens

Digital YA Titles for Black History Month

Teen books by Black authors, including contemporary reads by Black Canadian YA author Ben Philippe, LGBTQ+ Black stories, Black science fiction, and fantasy, and more!

Black Voices for Teens

Ghost roast Cover
Ghost roast
Gibbs, Shawnelle, author.
The Davenports Cover
The Davenports
Marquis, Krystal, author.
Monica Rambeau. Photon Cover
Monica Rambeau. Photon
Ewing, Eve L., author.
Vengeance of the pirate queen Cover
Vengeance of the…
Levenseller, Tricia, author.
The reckoning Cover
The reckoning
Epps, Omar, author.
Beasts of war Cover
Beasts of war
Gray, Ayana, author.
Infinity alchemist Cover
Infinity alchemist
Callender, Kacen, author.
Monstrous Cover
Monstrous
Lewis, Jessica, 1994- author.
Chaos & flame Cover
Chaos & flame
Gratton, Tessa, author.
A crown so cursed Cover
A crown so…
McKinney, L. L. (Leatrice L.), author.
The lady of rapture Cover
The lady of…
Raughley, Sarah, author.
That self-same metal Cover
That self-same metal
Williams, Brittany N., author.
Goddess crown Cover
Goddess crown
Lapite, Shade, author.
More than this Cover
More than this
Marquis, Krystal, author.
So let them burn Cover
So let them…
Cole, Kamilah, author.
Brooms Cover
Brooms
Walls, Jasmine, author.
DC Power : a celebration Cover
DC Power :…
Shovels not rifles Cover
Shovels not rifles
Wesley, Gloria Ann, author.
Blood at the root Cover
Blood at the…
Williams, LaDarrion, author.
The Black girl survives in this one : horror stories Cover
The Black girl…
Sleep like death Cover
Sleep like death
Bayron, Kalynn, author.
Where was goodbye? Cover
Where was goodbye?
Mather, Janice Lynn, author.
And then there was us Cover
And then there…
Carter, Kern, author.
Dancehall rebel Cover
Dancehall rebel
Robinson, Stacey Marie, 1978- author.
Out of body Cover
Out of body
Davenport, N. E., author.
Tender beasts Cover
Tender beasts
Sambury, Liselle, author.
The eternal ones Cover
The eternal ones
Forna, Namina, author.
You're not supposed to die tonight Cover
You're not supposed…
Bayron, Kalynn, author.
Delicious monsters Cover
Delicious monsters
Sambury, Liselle, author.
Highly suspicious and unfairly cute Cover
Highly suspicious and…
Hibbert, Talia, author.
There goes the neighborhood Cover
There goes the…
Adia, Jade, author.
This wicked fate Cover
This wicked fate
Bayron, Kalynn, author.
And don't look back Cover
And don't look…
Barrow, Rebecca, author.
Songs of Irie Cover
Songs of Irie
Bromfield, Asha, author.
The jump Cover
The jump
Morris, Brittney, author.
Love in winter Wonderland Cover
Love in winter…
Bello, A. (Abiola), author.
The changing man Cover
The changing man
Oyemakinde, Tomi, author.
There's no way I'd die first Cover
There's no way…
Springer, Lisa, author.
I feed her to the beast and the beast is me Cover
I feed her…
Shea, Jamison, author.
The melancholy of Summer Cover
The melancholy of…
Onomé, Louisa, author.
Miles Morales suspended Cover
Miles Morales suspended
Reynolds, Jason, author.
All the fighting parts Cover
All the fighting…
Sawyerr, Hannah V., author.
Work with what you got : a memoir Cover
Work with what…
Clark, Zion, author.
Everyone's thinking it Cover
Everyone's thinking it
Omotoni, Aleema, author.
The Blackwoods Cover
The Blackwoods
Colbert, Brandy, author.
I'm not supposed to be in the dark Cover
I'm not supposed…
Neilson, Riss M., author.
Nigeria Jones Cover
Nigeria Jones
Zoboi, Ibi Aanu, author.
Cool. Awkward. Black. Cover
Cool. Awkward. Black.
More
%title% Cover
%the_title% %author% %audience% %categories%
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