February is Black History Month and Chatham-Kent is celebrating the Black men and women who have made the municipality what it is today.
“We are honoured to share the important part in Canadian history that Chatham-Kent played as we commemorate Black History Month,” said Tourism Development Supervisor Shannon Paiva in a news release. “We, as always, hope this is just a stepping-stone in the path to celebrate the many achievements of Black Canadians year-round.”
The municipality will mark the start of Black History Month on Tuesday at 12 p.m., with a flag-raising at the Civic Centre in Chatham. Several virtual and in-person activities will take place throughout the month, which have been planned by Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society, the Black Mecca Museum and Uncle Tom’s Cabin & Historic Site.
“Black history is ‘our’ history, and it’s Canadian History,” said Buxton Museum Curator Shannon Prince. “We would love to celebrate the trailblazing Black men and women who built Chatham-Kent.”
Once considered a destination for freedom seekers, Chatham-Kent was home to some of the most successful Black settlements.
