Nominations are now open for Chatham-Kent’s annual Black Excellence Awards.
The Black Excellence Awards Committee has announced that this year’s awards have been named in honour of influential Black pioneers whose leadership, courage, and legacy helped shape Chatham-Kent.
The eight award categories for 2026 are:
- The Josiah Henson Legacy of Leadership Award
- The Dr. Sophie B. Jones Wellness & Resilience Award
- The Artis Shreve Lane Creative Excellence Award
- The Hugh Burnett Social Justice & Changemaker Award
- The North Star Emerging Leaders Award (Youth 13–17 & Young Adult 18–25)
- The Henry Weaver Black Business Excellence Award
- The Chatham Coloured All-Stars Athletic Excellence Award
- The Mary Ann Shadd Cary Educational Impact Award
All nominations must have ties to Chatham-Kent and can be nominated posthumously. The deadline to submit a nomination is April 2.
The nominees selected by the independent selection committee will be honoured at the Black Excellence Awards & Gala on April 18, 2026.
For more information or to submit a nomination, click here.