Black History Month
Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.
The events listed below are presented by various departments and schools across the University of Calgary campus to celebrate Black Canadians' many achievements, contributions and communities. Throughout history, Black Canadians have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous nation it is today. All registration details for each event are listed below.
A Celebration of Music by Black Composers VII
Music by Adolphus Hailstork, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson and Joseph Bologne.
- Isaac Willocks, Jessica Muchiri, Edmond Agopian, violin
- Ethan Mung and Isaac Willock, viola
- Jerome Wang, cello
- Omari Holaki, tuba
Monday, February 03, 2025
12:00 pm
Tips and Tools for Black Applicants to the UCalgary BSW program
Are you a Black applicant interested in the UCalgary BSW Program? Join us for an interactive virtual information session designed just for you!
Monday, February 03, 2025
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Irehobhuda O. Iyioha
Vincent Anioke
Samuel Nwaokpani
Black Canadian Writing
Join us for readings by Irehobhude O. Iyioha and Vincent Anioke
Irehobhuda O. Iyioha is a fiction writer, lawyer, academic, and author of, A Place Beyond the Heart. Associate professor at the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law, Iyioha has been longlisted for the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize, the BPA First Novel Award and a Caine Prize Commendation.
Vincent Anioke is a fiction writer, software engineer, and author of Perfect Little Angels. Winner of the 2021 Austin Clarke Fiction Prize, and finalist for the 2024 Dayne Ogilvie Prize, and 2023 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award and the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
Hosted by, Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike, PhD
Tuesday, February 04, 2025
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Dr. Paul Ushang Ugor
The Treasonous State and Postcolonial Precarity
The Treasonous State and Postcolonial Precarity: Femi Odugbemi’s Makoko as ‘Victim Documentary.’
Dr. Paul Ushang Ugor, University of Waterloo
Afropolitan Humanism designates the humanist vision that informs Femi Odugbemi’s cinematic output as a leading Nollywood film director/TV producer and the humanitarian uses to which Odugbemi has put his screen media work as a socially-committed filmmaker.
Focusing specifically on his documentary film, Makoko (2016), I demonstrate how the film is a ‘victim documentary’ (Winston 2019) that unearths a form of postcolonial state terror in which the Nigerian state subjects its citizens to the power of death. I contend that the real victims of Nigeria’s necropolitical power that the film documents are the innocent and vulnerable children in the Makoko slum who lead “bare lives” amidst superfluous Petro-wealth. Makoko documents and bears witness to a “heroically suffering humanity” tucked underneath the underbelly of the resplendence of Lagos as a postcolonial megacity. The film is indicative of Femi Odugbemi’s passionate and relentless socially-conscious artistic efforts to challenge a failed postcolonial system that is indifferent to extreme human suffering and other forms of social anguish.
Wednesday, February 05, 2025
1:00 pm
AI and Race Speaker Series in Commemoration of Black History Month with Calvin Lawrence
Join us for an insightful discussion as Calvin Lawrence (author of Hidden in White Sight: How AI Empowers and Deepens Systemic Racism) dives into the hidden truths of how AI is disproportionately impacting communities of colour, exposing the biases and systemic flaws embedded in the technology that shapes our daily lives. A book signing with Lawrence will take place after the main discussion.
Thursday, February 06, 2025
12:00 pm
Mobilizing For Change: Addressing Anti-Black Racism
Hosted by Dr. Patrina Duhaney, PhD, a distinguished educator, scholar, activist, Academic Co-Lead for Democracy, Justice, and Sustainability in the Institutes for Transdisciplinary Scholarship, and Chair of the Anti-Black Racism Task Force in the Faculty of Social Work.
The conference kicks off on Day 1 (February 27) with academic speakers, thought-provoking presentations, and panel discussions. A dedicated networking session from 4:30–6:30 pm offers Black attendees the chance to connect with Black community leaders, activists, scholars, and allies. This informal session will foster meaningful conversations and create opportunities to build collaborative relationships that advance the fight against anti-Black racism.
On Day 2 (February 28), enjoy an interactive health and wellness expo alongside diverse vendors showcasing art, literature, and community resources. Throughout the event, attendees will engage in workshops, performances, and art displays exploring the historical context of anti-Black racism, its current manifestations, and innovative approaches to fostering racial equity.
This conference is a unique opportunity to exchange knowledge, amplify voices, and mobilize meaningful action toward dismantling systemic racism and building a more just society.
Dates: February 27-28, 2025
- Day 1: Thursday, February 27
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm MT
Networking: 4:30 - 6:30 pm MT - Day 2: Friday, February 28
Time: 12:00 - 6:00 pm MT