Ontario Black History Society

Ontario Black History Society
Name	Ontario Black History Society
Formation	1978
Type	Non-profit
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Region served	Ontario, Canada

Ontario Black History Society is a Canadian cultural organization devoted to the preservation, documentation, and promotion of Black history in Ontario. Founded in 1978 in Toronto, the Society has engaged in historical research, public education, and policy advocacy concerning the Black experience linked to communities such as Niagara, Oshawa, Hamilton, and Windsor. It interacts with institutions including the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Heritage Trust, and University of Toronto.

History and Founding

The Society's founding in 1978 followed local initiatives by activists and historians influenced by figures such as Viola Desmond, Lincoln Alexander, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, John Graves Simcoe, and Philip Howard. Early organizers included community leaders from Buxton Settlement, Guelph, and Chatham who sought to preserve records related to the Underground Railroad, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Coloured Corps, and families tracing lineage to Black Loyalists and Black Refugees. Founders drew inspiration from historians like C. W. Jefferys and activists such as Carter G. Woodson and institutions such as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Mission and Activities

The Society's mission emphasizes archival preservation, public programming, and advocacy tied to anniversaries like Emancipation Day commemorations and observances such as Black History Month. Activities include curating exhibits on subjects like Josiah Henson, Rosemary Brown, Oliver LeBlanc and events connected to the Abolitionist movement, Sir John A. Macdonald era policies, and community memory related to Africville and Sandwich, Ontario. It partners with cultural organizations including the Canadian Museum of History, Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, and Neighbourhood Information Post.

Programs and Educational Initiatives

Educational initiatives address curricula at institutions such as Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Queen's University, York University, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), and secondary schools affiliated with boards like the Toronto District School Board. Programs include oral history projects with elders who lived through periods marked by legislation such as the British North America Act, 1867 and events like the Underground Railroad crossings near Fort Erie. The Society organizes workshops referencing works by George Elliott Clarke, Esi Edugyan, Lawrence Hill, Dionne Brand, and historical sources like the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

Advocacy and Community Impact

Advocacy efforts have engaged municipal bodies including City of Toronto, provincial agencies such as the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and federal institutions like Parliament of Canada to influence commemorative naming, heritage designation, and curriculum inclusion. Campaigns have promoted recognition for sites connected to Beverly Hills, Toronto—local heritage contexts—and individuals such as Delos Rogest Davis and E. J. Pratt—while addressing systemic issues highlighted by groups including Black Lives Matter and leaders such as Jean Augustine and Michaëlle Jean. The Society has supported legal and civic initiatives referencing cases like R v. Gladue and engages with networks including the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Canada Council for the Arts.

Publications and Research

The Society produces newsletters, project reports, and collaborative monographs featuring contributions by scholars from University of Ottawa, McMaster University, University of Windsor, Brock University, and archives such as the Library and Archives Canada. Research topics have covered the War of 1812, migration patterns involving Caribbean Canadian communities, biographies of figures like Mary Ann Shadd, Adele Logan, and studies of institutions like African-Canadian Heritage Museum. It has disseminated findings alongside journals and presses including Canadian Historical Review, University of Toronto Press, McGill-Queen's University Press, and community periodicals.

Partnerships and Recognition

The Society collaborates with museums and cultural centres including the Aga Khan Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, Bloor West Village BIA, and local heritage groups in Oakville and Pickering. It has received awards and recognition from organizations such as the Ontario Heritage Trust, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and civic honors conferred by the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario. Partnerships extend to educational bodies like the Ontario Teachers' Federation and cultural networks including the Black Canadian Studies Association and international ties to institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and Institute of Commonwealth Studies.

Category:Organizations based in Ontario Category:Black Canadian organizations Category:History of Black people in Canada