Celebrate 40 Years of African Heritage Month at the Library with Limited Edition Bookmarks

Bookmarking a milestone

This year marks the 40th anniversary of African Heritage Month at Halifax Public Libraries—a collaborative celebration alongside The Black History Month Association to honour the rich history and contributions of African Nova Scotians.

In honour of this milestone, we are thrilled to reissue and reintroduce new limited-edition bookmarks recognizing prominent members of the African Nova Scotian community, both past and present. These bookmarks, which we first introduced in 2004, are more than just placeholders for your favourite reads; they are gateways to the profound stories of those who have shaped our community's history and identity.

As we release more bookmarks throughout 2024, we invite you to visit Halifax Public Libraries to collect these limited-edition pieces of history and to learn more about the remarkable lives of those featured.

Placeholders in history

George Borden: A Life of Words and Service

George Borden was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. He spent 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, where he eventually rose to the rank of Captain. He retired from military service in the mid-1980s and, since that time, has been involved with the Black United Front for Nova Scotia and the Black Cultural Centre, where he served on the board of directors. He was a columnist for several local Black newspapers, including the Ebony collection and The Jet. George Borden died on November 29, 2020, at the age of 85. 

Works

-A Mighty Long Way (2000)
-Footprints, Images and Reflections (1993)
-Canaan Odyssey (1988)

Awards

-National Black Poetry Competition (1997)

Dr. Calvin W. Ruck: Advocate for Equality and Understanding

Calvin Ruck was born in 1925 in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton. A graduate of the Maritime School of Social Work at Dalhousie University, Ruck devoted his work and life to ending discrimination and racism. In addition to his books, which document the important military contributions of Black Canadians, Ruck was instrumental in having a historic site recognized in Pictou, NS in honor of Canada’s first Black Battalion. Ruck served on the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, held many offices in the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia, and was one of the earliest members of the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People. In 1998, Dr. Ruck was appointed to the Senate. Dr. Ruck died at the age of 79 at his home in Ottawa on October 19, 2004. 

Works

-The Black Battalion 1916-1920: Canada’s Best Kept Military Secret (1987)
-Canada’s Black Battalion: No 2 Construction 1916-1920 (1986)

Awards

-Honorary degree from University of King’s College (1999)
-Honorary degree from Dalhousie University (1994)
-Harry Jerome Award (1987)
-Freda Vickery Awards (1987)

Portia White: A Voice that Transcended Boundaries

Portia White was born in Truro, Nova Scotia in 1911. Her father was the minister at Cornwallis Street Baptist Church, where she herself was a choir member from the age of six. White earned her teaching degree from Dalhousie University and went on to teach in Lucasville, Nova Scotia. She continued her musical training at the Halifax Conservatory of Music and gave her first recital in June of 1939. In the summer of 1941, Portia made her Toronto debut at the Eaton Auditorium, the first of many appearances in the Toronto area.

In 1944 Edith Read, a principal from Toronto, assisted Portia in getting an audition in New York. This first shot at “The Big Apple” resulted in a sold-out concert at the New York Town Hall. In 1948, she settled in Toronto to teach, and continued to perform infrequently—the most notable performance during that time being a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II at the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

White, for all her fame, also had to deal with the racism of the day. As such, she was often refused entry to concert halls and hotels in many Canadian provinces. Portia White died on February 13, 1968, at the age of 56.

Awards

-Person of National Historic Significance - Government of Canada (1995)
-Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award - posthumously (2007)

The story continues

Stay tuned as we continue to explore more community history and stories with 12 bookmarks set for release throughout 2024, available at your local branch while supplies last.