African Heritage Timelines

1984: The first Black History Week programs are held at Halifax North Memorial Public Library. These programs were a partnership between the then Halifax City Regional Library, The Cultural Awareness Youth Group, and the Black United Front.

1987: The first meeting of the Black History Month Committee was held at the Halifax North Memorial Public Library. The purpose of the committee was to involve individuals, community organizations and government agencies in the development and hosting of events and activities that highlighted Black history in Nova Scotia. In 1994, the committee was incorporated as The Black History Month Association (BHMA) and continues to work out of offices at the Halifax North Library.

1989: Representatives from the Chicago based PUSH/Excel Program, founded by Rev. Jesse Jackson, present a number of workshops and a youth rally at the Halifax North Memorial Library.

1989: “Journeys: Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia”, an original puppet show, debuts.
The show features the music of local artists Four The Moment, and tells the history of the Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia: from their arrival to their departure in 1792.

1990: The first Black History Month Young People’s Day is held.

1991 : CBC Radio’s “Mainstreet” program does a remote broadcast from the auditorium of the Halifax North Memorial Public Library to kickoff Black History Month celebrations.

1991: The first Black History Month Quiz, sponsored by the Halifax City Regional Library is held. The Quiz featured a Halifax versus Dartmouth format with teams that included the mayors of both cities, media personalities, and well-known residents of the Black community.

1992: The first Black History Month poster/calendar was produced. Rick Janson, of the the communications department of the Halifax City Regional Library, did the design and layout. Zellers Canada sponsored the printing of the calendar as part of a settlement following complaints about the selling of culturally insensitive dolls in their local stores

1994: Black History Month in Nova Scotia celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special opening night held at the Halifax North Memorial Public Library. This occasion also marked the first public performance of the original puppet show “Journeys: Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia” after a five year absence.

2004: Halifax Public Libraries celebrates the 20th anniversary of Black History Month events in Halifax and in Nova Scotia.

2009: Halifax Public Libraries celebrates the 25th anniversary of African Heritage Month.