Black History Month kicks off in Hamilton with City Hall event
Published February 2, 2024 at 4:08 pm
Black History Month got underway Thursday in Hamilton with a City Hall event that featured presentations from Black leaders and from the youth of Hamilton as well as the unveiling of the 17th Black History Month Honouree – Sam Opoku from the Ghana Association.
A statement from the City acknowledged the “significant” contributions the Black community has made to the history and cultural diversity of Hamilton in years past as well as today.
Last year several Black-led organizations in Hamilton worked together to support the City in launching its first official Black History Month Celebration under the theme We Are Hamilton – Black History Remembered. Through this initiative, images and biographies of 16 Black Hamiltonians were profiled, with Opoku added to the list of honourees in 2024.
The City statement thanked local organizations who made these initiatives possible, including Afro Canadian Caribbean Association, Ghana Association of Hamilton, Haitian Association of Hamilton, Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, Hamilton Black History Council, Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, Nigerian Canadian Association of Hamilton and District and Refuge Hamilton Centre for Newcomer Health.
The City of Hamilton also thanked the Black History Month Council and Black-led organizations in Hamilton for their ongoing contributions and efforts to profile, celebrate and raise awareness of Black Hamiltonians who have made significant contributions to the city. The profiles of the 17 Black Hamiltonians honoured through so far will be displayed all through during February at Hamilton Public Library branches and City Hall, as well as other City facilities.
