Celebrating Black History and culture: Black History Month 2022

Throughout the month of February, the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) will be celebrating Black History Month. OPL celebrates Black History with a collection of programs and resources that honour Black heritage and consider the historical significance and contemporary contributions of Black activists and artists from around the world.    

OPL invites everyone to discover the history of the Black community through educational and cultural programs at OPL and in person through our materials.  

The Ottawa Public library is offering online programming for all ages! 

• On Wednesday February 9,  3-4:30: join us for Sound in Living Colour: older adult participants are guided through this multidisciplinary workshop: drawing correlations between music and painting. A feast for the eyes and the ears! Not recorded.
• On Tuesday February 15, 7-8:30pm, check out Hip Hop and Graffiti. A fun way to explore hip hop and release your inner graffiti artist. Not recorded.
• Saturday February 26, at 10-11:30am, check out Hip Hop and Graffiti for Families! A fun way to explore hip hop and the art of graffiti as a family. Not recorded.

Love Instagram?   Check out OPL’s Teen Instagram account @oplteens_adosbpo the week of February 14-18 for guest posts from local Black community influencers. Leave a comment and a like to show your support.  

YouTube  Check out our past BHM videos on the Ottawa Public Library YouTube page!

Booklists Finally, reading books from OPL’s collection is another great way to discover the history of Afro-Canadians' and their contributions to our cultural life. We're sure you're going to enjoy our selection of books (and more), you’re bound to find something new! For adult, teens and kids alike check out the booklists linked below.  

 Related Links  

• Equal Chance group, Home | EqualChance  

• 613 - 819 Black Hub, Home - 613819BlackHub (613819blackhubnoir.ca)  

• African Canadian Association of Ottawa, https://acaottawa.com   

• Black History Society, https://blackhistorysociety.ca/   

• Black History Ottawa. https://www.blackhistoryottawa.org/   

• Black History Ottawa is a registered Canadian charity with a mandate to advance education by increasing the public's knowledge and appreciation of, and by carrying out research in, the history, culture, traditions, and achievements of Canadians of African descent.  

• On emancipation day, musician Dan Hill opens up about his parents' legacy: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/emancipation-day-dan-hill-1.4770416   

• https://teenhealthandwellness.com    

Everything is set to satisfy your curiosity. Mark your calendars, and visit BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca for more information. 

Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is the largest bilingual (English/French) public library system in North America, with 34 branches, physical and virtual at BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca, mobile libraries, and a vending machine library service. OPL’s mission is to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook and Instagram.