The Grande Prairie Public Library is working in partnership with the Grande Prairie Intercultural Association to bring a number of different activities and events to locals during Black History Month.
Jill Kergan, Community Outreach Librarian with GPPL and member of the subcommittee for Black History Month, says the library will be hosting two virtual events on February 26th and 27th.
“The first one we have planned is a Black History Month celebration with two guest speakers. The first speaker is Deborah Beaver, a fourth-generation descendent of Black settlers who cofounded a society that’s dedicated to preserving the stories of Black settlers in Alberta and Saskatchewan,” she says.
The goal of this event is to honor the history of Black Canadians and celebrate the transformative work they’re currently doing.
“The second speaker is Yassannah Nurudeen, a Social Justice Instructor at the University of Calgary and an Assistant Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He is committed to advancing social justice and equity,” she says.
The other event on February 27th is a watch party for the film ‘Mr. Emancipation’, with discussion from Director Preston Chase.
“He created this documentary about his great uncle Walter Perry. He organized Windsor Historic Emancipation Day celebrations in Windsor, Ontario, which was known to be the largest Juneteenth celebration in North America. The film explores the impact the celebration had on the community of Windsor,” she says.
In addition to the two events, the library has created the Black Voices Challenge, which encourages people to read, watch, and listen to various works from black creators throughout the year. Anyone can register for the challenge, log their activity, and share reviews for a chance to win a prize at the end of the month.
They also have a display of different books at the library to commemorate Black History Month.