Mary Caesar: M.A. (History)
In December 2006, Oprah Winfrey, best known for her talk show, opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. What was Oprah’s dream has been realized and now the 150 new students are living theirs. [Oprah.com] Rescuing black girls from poverty and providing them with education are noble gestures so, how did, and are, South Africans responding to Oprah’s gift?

This talk is part of Black History Month Kingston 2008 and is presented by the Ban Righ Centre.

Dr. Paul Tiyambe Zeleza is an internationally renowned authority on African economic history and Africa’s global diasporas. His expertise in areas as wide-ranging as economic, social and intellectual history, development studies, gender studies, diaspora studies and human rights, is highly sought by academic institutions and international organizations. In 2003, he was appointed by the United Nations to an advisory board researching global progress toward gender equality in the wake of the Beijing World Conference on Women.

A prolific scholar, Dr. Zeleza has authored more than 20 books, in addition to numerous articles and book chapters, which have been published in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and North America. He is also acclaimed author of the novel, Smouldering Charcoal (1992), and two collections of short stories, Night of Darkness (1976) and The Joys of Exile (1994).

Presently, Dr. Zeleza is Professor and Head of the Department of African American Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and President of the African Studies Association.

The Queen’s Engaging Africa Initiative is a collaboration of staff, faculty and students working to promote and expand academic and cultural engagement with the continent of Africa and its diasporas. It has been supported by the Queen’s University Principal’s Fund for Support of Conferences and Discussions of International Issues.

OPIRG will be displaying a history of Black History Month in Kingston, at the Alternative Resource Library, located at 51 Bader Lane for the entire month of February. The hours of the library are:

Mon 9-4 Tue 8-6
Wed 8-4, 4:30-6:30 Thurs 11-6

To view a list of Black History Month related resources available in the ARL, please click here.

Whereas, diversity of social identity, including racial and cultural identity, contributes positively to the development of society and is a matter for pride and celebration; and

Whereas, people of African heritage work to challenge continued individual and systemic discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship and creed; and

Whereas, people of African heritage are vital contributors to the fabric of Canadian society and the Kingston community; and

Whereas, the legacy of racial discrimination in Canada has involved the exclusion of people of African heritage from history and from full participation in communities; and

Whereas, the histories of people of African heritage contribute to the enrichment of Canadian history;

I, Mayor Harvey Rosen for the City of Kingston, Ontario, therefore, proclaim the month of February 2007 to be “Black History Month” in the City of Kingston.

DATED at Kingston this 8th day of January, 2007
Harvey Rosen, Mayor

At Queen’s, Bicentenary initiatives are being supported by the AVP & Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Jason Laker, Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Dr. Joy Mighty, and the Director of the Queen’s Human Rights Office, Irene Bujara. The first initiative involves a ceremony that will
take place in the Fall of 2007. The second initiative involves the planning of a Bicentenary project. Although the Bicentenary is a year long endeavor, work will begin in the next few weeks and will continue this summer. The first meeting will be scheduled in April, 2007.

If you are interested in serving on the task force, kindly let me know. I will notify all interested members with the date and time of the first upcoming meeting in April. In the meantime, if you would like to read more about the Bicentenary, please visit the Ministry of Citizenship &
Immigration website at http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/about/n280207.htm Please feel free to call with any questions or concerns that you might have.

With Every Good Wish,

Anita Jack Davies
Education/Antiracism Advisor
Queen’s Human Rights Office
Macintosh-Corry, A 313
613-533-6000 Ext. 78418
apd@post.queensu.ca

Come out and self-educate. Information and pictures of Black Historical landmarks will be on display. Information on the Anti-Slavery movement, Black Loyalists, Africville, etc. Free. Presented by the African & Caribbean Student Association (ACSA).

contact: Anu.Hundeyin@gmail.com

date: Monday, February 12 from 6:00-7:30 pm
location: Robert Sutherland Room, JDUC

There will be a student speaker and student poets. Come out and debate; be a part of Black History on the Queen’s Campus. Rule out ignorance, spread Education. Free. Presented by the African & Caribbean Student Association (ACSA).

contact: anu.hundeyin@gmail.com

date: Thursday February 15 at 1:30 pm
location: Room 351, JDUC, Queen’s

Lecture by Scott Rutherford, PhD candidate, Queen’s Department of History. Free public talk. Presented by CARED.

contact: cared@ams.queensu.ca

date: Wednesday February 28 at 2:00 pm
location: Robert Sutherland Room, JDUC, Queen’s

Free public lecture by Dr. Afua Cooper, this year’s Robert Sutherland Visitor.
On March 25, 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act received Royal Assent: marking the end of the official trafficing of human beings. Join the Committee Against Race and Ethnic Discrimination in celebrating the 200th anniversary of this historic day with Dr. Cooper.
Hosted by CARED.

contact: cared@ams.queensu.ca

date: February 20, 2007 5:00-7:00pm
location: The Ban Right Centre, 32 Bader Lane

Presenter: Anita Davies, Antiracism/Education Advisor, Queens’ Human Rights Office. Co-sponsored by Queen’s Human Rights Office, Black History Month Kingston & KARRA.

Exclusion based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, family structure, ability, and age can be painful for marginalized groups within a community setting. This holds truer for children. This interactive workshop is geared toward concerned parents whose children who experience race related discrimination of a personal or systemic nature due to their ethnicity, citizenship, religion, accent, or immigrant status. Topics will include strategies for effectively dealing with race related issues that arise in the daily lives of children. Refreshments will be served.

contact: Registration Deadline: February 13, 2007. Maximum 25 participants.
Email Anita Davies or call 613-533-6000 x 78418.

Download a flyer for the workshop here.