Celebrate Black History Month with special CBC programming
Honour Black Excellence in February
Celebrate Black History Month with CBC's vibrant lineup showcasing the diverse tapestry of Black experiences. Laugh, learn, and be inspired by stories of triumph and resilience throughout February and year-round.
Highlights of CBC's Black History Month programming include the following:
B.C. Stories
Listen to Black History Month segments on CBC Radio B.C. programs on CBC Listen:
- The Early Edition: To celebrate local Black filmmakers, creators, and musicians, Natasha Tony, CEO of Vancouver-based Elevate Inclusion Strategies, tells Stephen Quinn about the event she curated, "A Night of Obsidian." Listen here.
- North by Northwest: Singer and disability rights activist discussed the songs that have influenced her music ahead of her performance at "Songs of Freedom," an annual concert celebrating Black History Month hosted by Marcus Mosely. Listen here.
- North by Northwest: Ruby Smith Diaz discusses her new book Searching for Serafim: The Life and Legacy of Serafim 'Joe' Fortes with Margaret Gallagher, highlighting the pioneering Black lifeguard who became a cultural icon in Vancouver. Listen here.
- On The Coast: Adaeze Oputa-Anu, program manager of Empowered Black Girl, and Nataizya Mukwavi, executive director of Black Women Connect Vancouver, join Gloria Macarenko to discuss their efforts to strengthen Vancouver's Black community. Listen here.
- All Points West: This weekend, the Royal BC Museum will host a celebration of local Black designers and history, and guest host Kathryn Marlow speaks with one of the event's co-organizers. Listen here.
Read/Watch Black History Month stories on cbc.ca/bc:
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How a B.C. program is empowering the next generation of Black women. Read here / Watch here.
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Author sheds light on the racism famed lifeguard Serafim 'Joe' Fortes faced in 1900s Vancouver. Read here.
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Why this historic Black neighbourhood in Vancouver is on a new coin. Watch here.
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B.C. non-profit aims to make winter sports more accessible for Black people. Watch here.
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Reann Gasper reflects on being the first Black female MLA elected in B.C. since the 80s. Watch here.
CBC – Being Black in Canada
Being Black in Canada highlights the stories and experiences of Black Canadians year-round, providing a wide range of content celebrating the culture and achievements of Canada's Black communities while also offering an inspiring glimpse into their resilience and successes.
Moments That Matter, a special from Being Black in Canada, takes you on a journey through the defining moments of 2024 for Black Canadians – the triumphs, the struggles, and the changes that are shaping our future.
Watch the 30-minute special on Saturday, February 8 on CBC News Network and CBC Gem. You can also watch videos from this series on TikTok, Instagram and our Being Black in Canada website.
CBC Gem Collection
CBC Gem's Black History Month Collections
Need a good laugh? Lakay Nou is the hilarious story of a Haitian-Canadian family navigating tradition and modernity.
Celebrate Black music with Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), a powerful documentary that captures the electrifying energy of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.
Feature film Queen of Glory is a relatable story of an immigrant daughter finding her place in a new world.
And finally, documentary series Hollywood Black shines a light on the groundbreaking Black artists who have shaped the entertainment industry.
Looking for more? Check out our Celebrating Black History Collection with over 60 series, films and documentaries including the award-winning films 12 Years a Slave, Ali and Invisible Beauty, exploring the life of Black fashion model and activist Bethann Hardison.
CBC Music
Canadian Black Music Trailblazers. Celebrating Black Canadian musicians who did it first, did it differently and paved the way. Listen every Thursday in February on The Block on CBC Music.
Episode 1 - Feb 6: Allison Russell "The Returner": From life on the streets of Montreal to the bright lights of the Grammys, to say Allison Russell has taken the path less travelled would be an understatement. Her story is one of survival, resilience and hope, but also celebration, gratitude and triumph.
Check out other episode previews here.
CBC Books
In February, CBC Books and The Next Chapter will unveil its annual Black Canadian Writers to Watch list, including emerging and exciting Black Canadian writers, authors, and poets poised to make waves in the national and international literary scenes. Throughout the month, CBC Books is featuring reading lists of buzzworthy titles by Black Canadian writers in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and more.
Follow CBC Books on social media: In February, the CBC Books social media channels will include posts and videos that showcase Black Canadian authors and books.
CBC Kids and CBC Kids News
CBC Kids is celebrating Black History Month with a YouTube playlist of shorts, sports, songs, dances, books and full episodes for kids and tweens, with select shorts also airing as part of the CBC Kids morning lineup on CBC TV all month long.
On CBC Kids News (for kids 9+) watch for profiles of Eden-Belle O'Neill, a 15-year-old Vancouver teen who founded the Black Queen Collective, and Shola Jimoh, a 16-year-old soccer player in the Canadian Premier League. The First Person series highlights a teen's journey to self-acceptance as a Black girl in Canada.
Find CBC Kids News on CBCKidsNews.ca and on YouTube.
CBC Arts
CBC Arts has unveiled a new Black History Month-themed logo from artist D'Andra Morris, celebrating the beauty of Black culture. Find out how Morris turned a hairstyle into a work of art on CBC.ca/arts.
CBC Docs
New documentaries, including the documentary series Paid in Full, have joined CBC Docs library of documentaries to watch this month.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
