Educate, Unite and Celebrate Community.
That’s the theme for the 2018 Nova Scotia African Heritage Month.
Vanessa Fells with the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre says this year’s message is perfect because very few people are aware of the 52 historic black communities in Nova Scotia.
She says some may not even be aware they live in one.
“What do you know about them and the people who live there,” she says.
“Iit brings all those questions up and it asks people to go out and learn about other people who live in their community who may be of African descent and to celebrate with them.”
Fells says February’s celebrations are a step in the right direction, but more can be done.
“In Southwestern Nova Scotia it is a challenge,” she says.
“Here we really only have the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre, so working with different education committees that are dedicated to Black History, yes we need to do more but we’re coming. Slowly, but we’re coming.”
The Lieutenant Governor and the African Nova Scotia Affairs Minister launched the celebrations earlier this month.
More than 100 events are planned across the province.
Fells says the Centre plans to hold a luncheon among other other events.
They’ve also paired up with local school who will be singing and making presentations about African Nova Scotian history..
Celebrations will kick off with a proclamation Friday.
