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London

London Celebrates Black History Month

London’s African Canadian community will trumpet its achievements, educate the public, and honour its own during a month-long celebration that kicks off Saturday.

Opening celebrations for the city's 16th annual Black History Month will be held at Museum London from 1pm-4pm. The free event will include a panel presentation, a steel drum performance, and a showcase of arts and crafts from various cultural groups.

It is hoped the celebration will draw at least 100 people, according to Leroy Hibbert of the London Black History Coordinating Committee.

"This is not just for the black community. It is for everybody, all ethnicities, all backgrounds, all cultures," said Hibbert. "We really want to help people come together and build bridges."

The main focus of the month is to educate Londoners about the contributions and history of the black community in the city. Many escaped slaves who arrived in London through the Underground Railroad were housed in Victoria Park and later built a school there that became one of the first integrated schools in the city.

"It's part of our Canadian fabric. Black history is not separate from Canadian history but on occasion, whether it's through schools or various elements of our world, our voices haven't been heard," said Hibbert. "There are a lot of things the black community has offered the country and the world that many people for whatever reason don't know about. The purpose of what we are trying to do is to educate about what we have done, what we are doing, and what we can do."

This year's theme is voices of resilience.

Among the several other events slated to be held throughout February, there will be a family celebration at the Children's Museum, a food festival at the Trinity United Church Community Centre at 76 Doulton St., and the Lewis Coray Trailblazer Awards for Youth. Sgt. Coray joined the police force in London in 1951, becoming the city's first black cop. The award is presented to a young person who has demonstrated perseverance in pursuit of academic success and social responsibility.

The month-long celebration ends with a Black History Month Closing Gala on February 25 at the Wolf Performance Hall.

"We are going to have a very successful and positive month," Hibbert anticipates.

A full list of Black History Month events can be found here.

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