The project was inspired by the Ontario Black History Society's (OBHS) #BlackedOutHistory campaign, which calls for the immediate inclusion of Black history in the Ontario curriculum. The #BlackedOutHistory campaign included an open letter written by Natasha Henry-Dixon , president of the OBHS. This letter was sent to Premier Doug Ford asking for immediate action on including Black history in the Ontario school curriculum. The OBHS campaign powerfully demonstrates that if you take away all of the non-Black history in a history school textbook, you are left with a very small amount of pages that discusses Black history. Of the 255 pages of a Canadian History textbook used by Grade 8 students in Ontario, only 13 pages mention Black Canadian history. Lyndsay McLeod, one of the teachers at Cawthra Park Secondary School who organized Unearth Uncover, came up with the idea to make and install historic plaques that would highlight Black histories not taught in the Ontario curriculum. Through the school's social justice classes and Black Student Association, she engaged students and teachers to research content and install plaques throughout Toronto and Peel Region. In addition, she asked Grade 11 students to create a visual art piece to honour and commemorate people, places and events in Black Canadian history. Join us at five Mississauga Library branches throughout the month of February, to honour and acknowledge Black history through the plaques and student artwork in the mini-exhibition of Unearth Uncover.
Event Details