Tuesday February 1st marked the beginning of Black History Month at Crestwood. Every school day during the month of February, students will be introduced to a Black Canadian who has made significant contributions to our collective history. The celebrations kicked off, appropriately, with the Honourable Jean Augustine. In 1993, Ms. Augustine became the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons. It was as a member of Parliament that Ms. Augustine helped to make Black History Month an official part of the Canadian calendar.
We have been very lucky at Crestwood to sit down with Ms. Augustine and discuss her remarkable career in public service, and you can find a copy of that interview in the Crestwood Oral History Project archive (https://ohp.crestwood.on.ca/ohp/augustine-jean)
On Friday during lunch, students also had the opportunity to view “Viola Desmond is on the Money”. The CBC-produced documentary explores the history of Viola Desmond, the Nova Scotia woman and Civil Rights icon featured on Canada’s $10 bill.
Film screenings will continue throughout the month of February, as we take the opportunity to explore and celebrate Canada’s Black history.
