Would there be less racism and extremism if we were better at teaching Black history?

White nationalist and neo-Nazi groups, including the neo-fascist Proud Boys, were among 13 groups announced last week to be designated by the federal as terrorist entities.

The government considers the Proud Boys and others "ideologically motivated violent extremists."

Statistics also show that hate crimes are on the rise in Canada. Criminal incidents motivated by hate and reported to police rose by more than 60 per cent between 2014 and 2017, when 2,073 were reported. In 2018, those numbers dropped 13 per cent, still the second highest in the past ten years. 

On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. CBC Hamilton asks the question 'would there be less racism if we were better at teaching Black history?' We'll talk with Evelyn Myrie, president of the Afro Canadian Caribbean Association, and Rayanne Banaga, a peer support worker at St. Joe's Youth Wellness Centre, facilitating Black Table Talk — a program aimed at improving access to mental health support for racialized youth. 

They'll take your questions and comments. Would better anti-racism education inside Ontario schools make racist radicalization less likely? 

Send your questions and comments to us by email at Hamilton@cbc.ca or on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. You can also drop your comments and questions into the space below. 

Type your name in where it says "Display Name." Hit "Sign In." Then enter your comment where it says "Make a comment..." If you want to add a picture or video hit the "Upload" button. It's that easy.

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.