Poetry, dancing and jazz saxophone music were on the entertainment programme at the celebration of Black History Month at the Manitoba Legislative Building last Friday.

” There’s still a long way for our government to go to ensure that all of Manitoba is reflected at all levels of government and in all spaces in government,” said Uzoma Asagwara, Health Minister and Deputy Premier.

Asagwara and Jamie Moses, Economic Development, Investment, Trade, and Natural Resources Minister, both elected as MLAs in 2019, are among the first Black members of cabinet in the province’s history.

Participants and guests at the event are celebrating Black excellence and culture, said Moses.

“This music here … having it at the Manitoba legislature is significant,” he said. “It’s part of how Manitoba expresses ourselves, and all those expressions need to be part of this building.”

Black History Manitoba organizes and promotes many of the month’s events, including luncheons and history lessons.

Nadia Thompson, chairperson, and program director of Black History Manitoba, noted the organization’s growth, from hosting fewer than ten events in February to over 40 throughout the year.

The celebration traces its roots to African-American Harvard-trained scholar Carter G. Woodson, whose dedication to celebrating the historic contributions of Black people led to the establishment of Black History Month in 1976.

” We have a lot more support than we did even five, ten years ago,” Thompson said “So that’s an encouraging thing for us, especially for us, volunteers, who do this just because we believe in it.”

Thompson encouraged the crowd to remember where they came from and to keep looking to the future even after Black History Month has ended.

” Continue having those conversations, acknowledging these young people, encouraging these young people, and giving them something to believe in,” she said.

“What you say now, what you do now, and who you are now, is important,” she added.

Among the young people present was 13-year-old Grade eight student Fisayo Bakenne, the youngest speaker of the day, who emphasized the importance of perseverance, patience, and bravery in fighting racism.

” And it’s not a physical fight, but an emotional fight, because attacking racism is not about the person. It’s about the ideas,” she added.

The event was attended by dozens of people.

“When I was young, I had never seen a Black person elected in government in Manitoba,” said Asagwara.

“I think about my nephew who is about 16 months old right now.… My first nephew will grow up with a completely different experience,” he added.

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