By Dennis Scott, Chair of the Halton Black History Awareness Society
The Halton Black History Awareness Society takes pride in inviting our Halton secondary school students to participate in an essay contest incorporating research and narrative writing on Halton’s Black history. 2022 is the launching opportunity to learn diverse cultures, customs, heritage, history, and identity. Our great partners including Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville libraries; Joseph Brant and Oakville museums; and the Halton District School Board. This contest is an opportunity to further our understanding of Black history in Halton, contributing towards the goal of eliminating marginalization — let’s make sure the history taught in schools represents everyone’s history. It is our generation that can make that change.
Our libraries are very interested in meeting you in person and/or digitally and have prepared resources and support for your search for our rich history. The Halton Black History Awareness Society (HBHAS) is looking to annualize this project with future years focusing on our diverse cultures. Essays can be about key individuals, contributors to Halton’s Black history or its historical development and landscape. Students should also include a paragraph reflecting on what they have learned from this project. Essays should be a maximum of three pages (2000 words), not including the personal reflection. Criteria for evaluation will include the quality of the research, writing, relevance to the topic. Students aged 16 and younger require parental or guardian consent. Further details and forms are available at www.hbhas.ca.
The top three winners will each receive a cash prize and signed award plaques from our guest speaker, Lawrence Hill, at the HBHAS Gala at the Performing Arts Centre in Burlington — music will be supplied by two-time Juno winners Liberty Silver and Eddie Bullen. Metroland Media will promote all eligible narratives for QR coding ability to review all selected narratives and our museums have suggested potential speaking opportunities for selected narrative writers.
HBHAS is excited to see what Halton’s students submit for this essay contest! HBHAS promotes equality and inclusivity of all people, by way of community cultural events and educational offerings. This includes the HBHAS Halton Freedom Festival, which brings together a multicultural audience to enjoy diverse musical acts, cultural art, inclusive children’s and youth activities, food and crafts from various cultures and heritage, historical, and genealogical representatives promoting inclusivity and community integration.
Our celebration of the August 1, 1834, British Commonwealth Emancipation Act is especially relevant in that Burlington has been recognized as the first city in the world to acclaim August as Emancipation Month. This acclamation took place at our 2018 Halton Freedom Celebration Festival and was acknowledged at a Dr. Julius Garvey presentation in tribute to his father on Marcus Garvey Day at Toronto’s City Hall (2019). A further proclamation was made this year by the City of Burlington, Office of the Mayor, at the HBHAS flag-raising ceremony recognizing August 31st as the International Day for People of African Descent in alignment with the UN General Assembly’s 2020 resolution sponsored by 52 countries.
