Black History Month

Every February, we celebrate Black History Month to honour the achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and persons of Black, Caribbean or African heritage. Black communities have always been key contributors to the cultural landscape of the province. 

As part of our ongoing commitment at the University of Lethbridge to shape the future, engage communities, challenge boundaries and inspire curiosity, and be a place where people aspire to learn, work and contribute, we are continuing our work to eliminate anti-Black racism and advance Black inclusion in higher education. Our theme for Black History Month 2026 is Shaping our Community: Celebrating Black Resiliency and Solidarity.

During Black History Month, we recognize that Black history is more than stories of struggle. It includes stories of flourishing and solidarity that Black communities have shown to other diverse groups beyond their own. Black Albertans have led to a better and stronger Alberta; they’re visionaries, community builders and they build bridges for the greater good. Both Canada’s first Black female lawyer (Violet King) and the country’s first Black cowboy and highly respected rancher (John Ware) were from Alberta. This year marks 30 years of Black History Month in Canada – in 1995, Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons, introduced the motion to officially recognize February as Black History Month in Canada.

At ULethbridge, we have a myriad of staff, students, scholars, creatives, advocates and activists who are doing great work as a university campus community. In 2025, four ULethbridge scholars received funding from the Digital Research Alliance (DRI) of Canada to advance accessibility, diversity, inclusion and equity in digital research infrastructure. Equity Scholar Dr. Sandra Dixon is an award-winning psychologist in the Faculty of Education whose work addresses racial trauma, anti-black racism, faith, immigration and multi-cultural counselling. And the University of Lethbridge Black Students’ Association (ULBSA) is an active student club whose work continues to empower black students with events, community building and more. These are just a few recent examples of Black excellence on our campus. 

For Black History Month, there will be various events across campus and in the community all throughout February so visit the webpage for more information. Join us on Feb. 10 in Science Commons Atrium for a Black History Month kickoff event with special guest Dr. Karina Vernon from the University of Toronto (Scarborough). She will be doing a keynote titled From Alberta to Africa: Unearthing Black Cowboy’s Hidden Archive of Song hosted by the Centre for Feminist Research and the Accessibility, Belonging and Community (ABC) Office. (We will be taking a group photo before the presentation at 1:15 p.m. so please wear your Black History Month T-shirt if you have one.)

At ULethbridge, we recognize that Black history is not a separate chapter of our shared story — it’s essential to understanding who we are as an institution and society. Black History Month is a time to celebrate that collective spirit for resiliency, flourishing, and community, but it’s important to recognize the ongoing struggles against systemic racism and inequality, especially during times of polarization and misinformation. 
 

As educational institutions, we must be relentless in our pursuit of knowledge, inquiry and discovery to create avenues to share with our communities who may not have access to it. So, for this month and beyond, our challenge is to engage, reflect and support by listening, learning and recommitting ourselves to equity, justice and inclusion, not just for one month alone, but every day and for everyone. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Justice for one is justice for all.”

Ikkayiinnii (Fast Buffalo) Dr. Digvir Jayas
President and Vice-Chancellor 

Aka-isam-o’too (Arrived a Long Time Ago) Martha Mathurin Moe
Vice-Provost, Accessibility, Belonging and Community