Queen's University Library Celebrates Black History Month

Post Date:
Jan 31, 2022

Black History Month is a time to celebrate and learn about the formative contributions and influences of Black Canadians throughout our history, and the wonderful impact Black Canadians continue to have across our communities today. This year’s theme is February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day.

With this in mind, Queen’s University Library is proud to showcase a number of specifically curated initiatives and exhibits that will not only honour Black History Month during 2022, but remain as lasting avenues for exploration and learning in years to come. We invite you to engage with these collections, both virtually and physically and join us in highlighting, promoting, and expanding our understanding of Black History.

Please use the links below to access the excellent selection of resources put together by QUL staff for Black History Month 2022. 

Featured Collection: Black History Month

In honour of Black History Month, Queen’s University Library presents a selection of books and other resources, including recently acquired primary sources held in Rare Books and Special Collections, that feature Black voices and illustrate elements of the Black experience.

Selection of recently acquired primary source databases of newspapers, videos and other documents, in the Humanities and Social Sciences:

  • African Diaspora, 1860-present
    Primary source documents covering migrations, communities, and ideologies of the African Diaspora through the voices of people of African descent, with a focus on communities in the Caribbean, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, and France.
  • Black Studies in Video
    An award-winning collection that brings together seminal documentaries, powerful interviews, and previously unavailable archival footage surveying the Black experience.
  • Caribbean Studies in Video
    Streaming video access to the archives the Banyan Production company of Trinidad and Tobago, the first producer of original television in the Caribbean. Material includes interviews with writers and cultural figures, documentaries, and theater, music, and dance performances.
  • New York Amsterdam News
    Searchable full-text and page images of the leading Black newspaper of the 20th century.

Anti Black Racism and the Law Reading List
This reading list is a culmination of work done by scholars Dr. Sujith Xavier (University of Windsor), Professor Dhaman Kissoon (Queen’s University), and Ms. Simi Solebo (JD MBA Candidate 2021, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University), whose teaching and research in the area of race and law forms the basis for the Canadian legal materials listed. The focus of the guide is to allow users to find and access legal materials regarding Anti-Black Racism in the Canadian context.

Black History in STEM
This guide means to celebrate Black History in STEM by highlighting resources at Queen's University Library (and beyond) that record the work and lives of Black scientists and engineers. This guide offers a small sample of their work in STEM. 

Additionally, the fifth floor of Douglas Library features a display of print resorces on Black History in STEM as part of a newly created reading area with a focus on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity. 

Print & Online Black History Resources on Display at the Education Library
Our new Reference Assistant, Joseph Lee, has selected over 50 recent children’s books and teacher resources that support learning about Black history, with a focus on Canadian materials. Check out the online gallery of resources for Black History Month 2022 and if you are on campus, browse and borrow from the print display. Pick up a print copy of the Winter 2020 Canadian Children’s BookNews with the theme Black Voices Matter – thanks to the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

Additional resources are highlighted in the following research guides:

Queen's University Library is grateful to all who helped create and launch these resources. We encourage the Queen's community to explore them and learn more about Black History throughout February and beyond. 

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