Black History Month

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) and the Athabasca University Graduate Students’ Association (AUGSA) are pleased to collaborate on a series of events in February 2026 celebrating and featuring the work of Black students, faculty, and staff at AU and beyond. Over two days in early February, we will showcase different community members and amplify their vision and accomplishments through keynote presentations and panel discussions. The event will culminate in a town hall on February 25th, where we will discuss the possibilities of action-oriented recommendations to support Black scholarship and professional development. As a small thank you, we will offer a cultural coffee voucher to attendees. All AU community members are welcome and encouraged to attend all three sessions as we build a platform for voices often unheard. While we creatively disrupt the status quo, this program will deconstruct silos around disciplines and faculties and highlight the contributions of Black members to scholarship and academic leadership. Please join us on Monday, February 2nd, Wednesday, February 4th, and Wednesday, February 25th, at 11:00 am Mountain Time, where we will discuss the possibilities of action-oriented recommendations to support the Black scholarship and professional development. 

Resources

Community Resources and Events

The following organizations offer programs, events, and resources in support of Black History Month and Black communities across Alberta and Canada.

Africa Centre Edmonton
https://www.africacentre.ca

Black Canadian Women in Action
https://www.bcwinaction.ca/about-bcw

National Black Coalition of Canada Society Edmonton
https://nbccedmonton.ca

Edmonton Public Library
https://www.epl.ca/black-history-month/

City of Calgary
https://www.calgary.ca/events/black-history-month.html

 Books and Films to Explore

Here are books and films you might explore for Black History Month, with a focus on Black Canadian experience, the history of Amber Valley in Alberta, and noteworthy contributions by Black Canadians.

Recommended Books

Blacks in Canada A History by Robin W. Winks(50th edition). Foreword by George Elliott Clarke. This definitive volume is recommended as the foundational text on the Black Canadian experience, offering an unparalleled and meticulously researched timeline of history and identity.

The Skin We’re In, Desmond Cole
A powerful investigation into racism and policing in Canada.

Disorientation: Being Black in the World, Ian Williams
Essays examining Black identity and experience in Canada and beyond.

The Black Battalion (1916 to 1920): Canada’s Best Kept Military Secret, Calvin W. Ruck
A history of Canada’s only all Black battalion in the First World War.

African Canadians in Union Blue, Richard M. Reid
Black Canadian participation in the U.S. Civil War era.

George and Rue, George Elliott Clarke
A literary depiction of Black Canadian lives and culture.

The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill
A novel rooted in historical Black Canadian experiences, including the evacuation of Black Loyalists.

Films and Documentaries

Fields of Endless Day
A docudrama covering key moments in Black Canadian history from early settlement to the 1930s.

Honour Before Glory
Tells the story of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s First World War Black unit.

John Ware Reclaimed
A documentary about Black cowboy and rancher John Ware in Alberta.

We Remember Amber Valley (1984)
A documentary about the history of the Amber Valley community.

From CBC Documentaries: Black History Month Must-Watches Explore the full collection of stories at cbc.ca/documentaries.