This February, 91社区 marks Black History Month with events that celebrate the contributions, achievements and histories of Black communities both within and outside of 91社区.
We've compiled a list of all the Black History Month events hosted by departments within the Faculty of Arts:
Roots of Strength: Celebrating Black Excellence and Perseverance: Wednesday February 12, 11:30AM 鈥� 2:30PM
Organized by the 91社区 School of Social Work 鈥淩oots of Strength: Celebrating Black Excellence and Perseverance鈥� honours the resilience, creativity, and achievements of Black communities. This event highlights thriving amidst challenges, showcasing speakers, performers, and culture through food and art. It inspires deeper understanding and solidarity while celebrating the joy, pride, and strength that define Black excellence. Organized by the 91社区 School of Social Work and Black Access 91社区.
Learn more about Black Access 91社区.听
Book Launch of Got Blood to Give: Anti-Black Homophobia in Blood Donation: Monday, February 17, 4:00-6:00PM
The 91社区 Institute for the Study of Canada will welcome Dr. OmiSoore H. Dryden, James R. Johnston Endowed Chair in Black Studies at Dalhousie University, for the launch of her latest book, Got Blood to Give: Anti-Black Homophobia in Blood Donation. Through storytelling, theorizing and discourse analysis, this book investigates how anti-Black homophobic nation-building policies became enshrined in blood donation. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A and reception. This event is free and open to public; registration is required.
Register for the book launch.听
Masterclass Workshop with Drs. Saville & Ogunnaike | Reconsidering Legibility: Afro-Diasporic Epistemologies, Traditions, and Practices In/Out of Place 鈥� Tuesday, February 18, 11:00AM to 1:00PM
This masterclass, an interactive workshop on the Black Atlantic and African Diaspora scholarship, is designed to be a welcoming and engaging space for upper-year undergraduate and graduate students. You will have the opportunity to participate in discussions with Drs. Alphonso F. Saville, IV (Assistant Professor at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, VA, and former Associate Research Scholar for Princeton鈥檚 The Crossroad鈥檚 Project) and Ayodeji Ogunnaike (Assistant Professor at 91社区鈥檚 School of Religious Studies, SRS). The event begins with ten-minute presentations by Saville and Ogunnaike based on assigned readings. After a twenty-minute open discussion, Dr. Melissa N. Shaw (Assistant Professor at 91社区鈥檚 Department of History and Classical Studies, HCS) will facilitate a 30-minute dialogue between Saville and Ogunnaike. A thirty-minute Q&A will conclude the event. An RSVP lunch with graduate students will provide a relaxed, casual setting, ensuring an enjoyable continuation of our exploration of the insights shared and questions raised.
Please RSVP for lunch:
Guest Lecture with Dr. Alphonso F. Saville, IV | John Marrant鈥檚 Gospel: Reimagining Christianity in Colonial America: Tuesday, February 18, 5:00PM to 8:00PM
How did John Marrant, an 18th-century free Black preacher, navigate the intersections of race, religion, and colonial power in the Black Atlantic? In this lecture, Dr. Alphonso F. Saville, IV explores Marrant鈥檚 life, writings, and missionary work, examining how he engaged Christianity as both a tool of survival and a means of resistance. Drawing from his recent book, The Gospel of John Marrant: Conjuring Christianity in the Black Atlantic, Dr. Saville illuminates how Marrant鈥檚 narrative reshaped early Black religious thought and disrupted dominant understandings of Christian mission and evangelism.
This talk in Arts 150 will situate Marrant within broader debates on race, religion, and transatlantic networks, offering insights into the role of Black spirituality in shaping political and social movements. Designed for scholars and students alike, this lecture will challenge conventional interpretations of early African American religious history and highlight Marrant鈥檚 enduring significance in conversations about race, faith, and resistance.
After the talk, attendees are welcome to a reception in Arts 160 to enjoy international Caribbean cuisine from Chef Sean Samuels.
Please RSVP for the reception:
Dr. Saville鈥檚 recent book, The Gospel of John Marrant: Conjuring Christianity in the Black Atlantic, will be available for purchase.
2025 Spector Lecture, delivered by Phanuel Antwi, "On Being Cuddled; Or Bearing the Racial Embrace鈥� Tuesday, February 18, 6:00-8:00PM, Arts W-120
The Department of English welcomes Dr. Phanuel Antwi as the 2025 Spector Lecturer. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Black Arts and Epistemologies and is Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literatures at the University of British Columbia. He is also an artist, teacher, and organiser concerned with race, poetics, intimacy, and struggle. His lecture arises out of his recent book, On Cuddling: Loved to Death in the Racial Embrace, which examines how racial violence is enacted through intimacy.
School of Continuing Studies: Special Book Club, Wednesday February 26, 12:00 -1:00PM
For Black History Month 2025, School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is organizing a special Book Club and they invite staff, instructors, students, and the wider SCS community to join them in celebration and reflection.
Join SCS in-person for the SCS Black History Month Special Book Club discussion, moderated by Dean Carola Weil. Attendees will explore the themes of by Wendell Nii Laryea Adjetey, William Dawson Scholar and Associate Professor, Department of History and Classical Studies, and/or by Percival Everett as well as their relevancy to Black History Month. Through these books, the club hopes to spark further meaningful conversations around diversity, inclusion, and social change. Read along and share your thoughts on these impactful works of literature!