Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum
177 King Street East N7M 3N1 Chatham, ON, Canada

With the new "Stay Home Orders" we will continue to remain closed throughout the next 28 days, and longer if the government plans change. We will be working mostly remotely during this time. Thank you everyone for your continued support throughout these times.

Due to the province wide lock down we are currently closed. As a non-essential business we will remain closed to the public throughout the duration of the province mandated lock down until Monday January 25th or longer if the government plans change.

Happy Friday (and we do apologize for the delay) We are back again with an #OnlineStoryTimeCKBHS and on to Little Legends Part: Exceptional Men in Black History Part #6

On Feb. 18, Willie E. O'Ree's No. 22 will become the 12th number honored by the Bruins: 2 Edward W. Shore 3 Lionel Hitchman 4 Robert G. Orr... 5 Aubrey V. Clapper 7 Philip A. Esposito 8 Cameron M. Neely 9 John P. Bucyk 15 Milton C. Schmidt 16 Richard D. Middleton 24 Terence J. O'Reilly 77 Raymond J. Bourque See more

"League calls the milestone a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion." https://www.nbcnews.com//all-black-officiating-crew-makes-

Join us on Wednesday, December 9th at 7pm on our Facebook or YouTube page for CHRISTMAS AT THE MUSEUM with Joyful Sounds of the Season. The evening’s program wi...ll be hosted by AFM Director Dr. Brenda McCurdy and will feature New Life Fellowship with Musical Director Steve Riley and Renee King-Jackson with additional performances from Brett Logan and Black Kids in Action . Win prizes through our online raffle and wine pull fundraisers on joyfulsounds.givesmart.com This event is free to watch, but we ask that you consider donating on our website https://amherstburgfreedom.org/#donate Christmas at the Museum is generously sponsored by Detroit Memorial Park Association and Dollars and Cents Investment Inc. Program made possible by Dr. Brock VanDyke of Solid Foundation Chiropractic. We hope you will share in the holiday spirit with us! To watch on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTpL0Vj5GaGFlv_scpAuQNQ

#Onthisday. November 2nd, 1859 JOHN BROWN'S SPEECH at his trial, from Stephen Vincent Benet's epic poem, "John Brown's Body." _________________ "I have, may it... please the Court, a few words to say. In the first place I deny everything but what I have all along admitted: of a design on my part to free slaves. . . . Had I interfered in the matter which I admit, and which I admit has been fairly proved . . . had I so interfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the intelligent, or the so-called great . . . and suffered and sacrificed, what I have in this interference, it would have been all right. Every man in this Court would have deemed it an act worthy of reward rather than punishment. I see a book kissed which I suppose to be the Bible, or at least the New Testament, which teaches me that all things whatsoever I would that men should do unto me, I should do even so to them. It teaches me further to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. I endeavored to act up to that instruction. I say I am yet too young to understand that God is any respecter of persons. I believe that to have interfered as I have done, as I have always freely admitted I have done in behalf of His despised poor, I did no wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel and unjust enactments, I say, let it be done. Let me say one word further. I feel entirely satisfied with the treatment I have received on my trial. Considering all the circumstances, it has been more generous than I expected. But I feel no consciousness of guilt. I have stated from the first what was my intention and what was not. I never had any design against the liberty of any person, nor any disposition to commit treason or incite slaves to rebel or make any general insurrection. I never encouraged any man to do so but always discouraged any idea of that kind. Let me say also, in regard to the statements made by some of those connected with me, I hear it has been stated by some of them that I have induced them to join with me. But the contrary is true. I do not say this to injure them, but as regretting their weakness. Not one but joined me of his own accord, and the greater part at their own expense. A number of them I never saw, and never had a word of conversation with, till the day they came to me, and that was for the purpose I have stated. Now I have done. ____________ The voice ceased. There was a deep, brief pause. The judge pronounced the formal words of death. One man, a stranger, tried to clap his hands. The foolish sound was stopped. There was nothing but silence then. No cries in the court, No roar, no slightest murmur from the thronged street, As Brown went back to jail between his guards. The heavy door shut behind them. There was a noise of chairs scraped back in the court-room, And that huge sigh of a crowd turning back into men." ____________ ~Ranger Day (Sources: Lithograph Library of Congress, Wikimedia Commons, 1928 Poem by Stephen Vincent Benet.) #400years

Be sure to check out this presentation Friday on our friends over at Amherstburg Freedom Museum's Facebook page!

"With few records of Black history in New Brunswick, McCarthy said he asked himself why this near-50-year-old book was out of print. This question became more apparent with this year’s Black Lives Matter protests. McCarthy decided to act. He discovered the book was written by the late William Spray, a former history professor at St. Thomas University who died in 2017. With a quick email, McCarthy and Black Lives Matter Fredericton kicked off a project partnered with STU to re-publish Spray’s work." https://theaquinian.net/black-lives-matter-and-stu-team-up/

Happy Halloween Everyone!! We hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween this year.

We will be reopening Tuesday September 22nd. Please read the following post IN FULL to understand all new guidelines and protocol: -there will be NO WALK IN TOURS available -BOOKED TOURS ONLY: currently tours will be available Monday through Friday at 10am and Noon timeslots. They will be limited to one family unit/covid bubble per time slot, with a maximum of 8 people -your tour timeslot will include both inside tour and the Walking Tour, you can choose not to do the Walkin...g Tour but it is included in your $6 tour price -tour timeslots will last a maximum of 1h 15m (if you are running late, that will come off your time) -you can book a tour either here on Facebook, by email ([email protected]) or by phone (519-352-3565) please note your tour is not confirmed unless you have had confirmation from us -masks will be required by all guests -only the museum will be opening at this time, the archives/research room and office will remain closed to visitors -please make your booking at least 48 hours in advance, however you can make them further in advance for better availability -again there are NO WALK IN TOURS available, other programs are run out of the WISH Centre and the doors remain locked for the health and safety of all in the building, remember you cannot just pop in -if you are looking for photocopies of family trees and information we can provide that for you at the regular copy price of 25 cents a copy please note the best option for this is to email/call us what you are looking for and then we can look in to it, make copies and then arrange a pickup time together the archive/research room is closed to the public so booking a tour time slot will not work for you to do research -even if you are hoping to purchase items from the gift shop, pick-up something, make an inquiry, etc. you must have a booked time we do miss seeing all of you, but you can no longer just stop in at this time, everything is by appointment only -debit/credit payment is preferred -all guests will be asked to fill out a covid screening form that’ll include asking for your contact information, this will only be used to notify anyone in the case of outbreaks and only that, it will be shredded after 14 days of your visit -sanitizer is made accessible in the museum and floor stickers will help you keep your distance from the displays, all touchable displays/items will be unavailable at this time so please follow any signage guides Please remember all new protocols are for your safety and that of our staff and volunteers. Also note at any time changes may be made to this in guidance with municipal, provincial and federal changes. We miss you all and want to see you out - but safely!

"A campaign has been launched to make a turnkey Black history teaching kit accessible and affordable for all Canadian students." https://www.thesuburban.com//article_811dfb65-5b67-5d58-91

Film Synopsis: The North Was Our Canaan: Exploring Sandwich Town’s Underground Railroad History (2020) is the first part in a larger project aiming to collect,... document, and share the rich history and inspiring legacy of enslaved people who sought freedom in Canada. Once a separate community, Sandwich Town is now a neighbourhood of Windsor, Ontario. Its location on the Detroit River, which separates Canada and the United States, made it an important terminus on the Underground Railroad. This film draws upon the voices of those who have lived in Sandwich Towne and researched this neighbourhood and was inspired by those who built it. This film was funded by a University of Windsor SSHRC Explore grant. For more information about The North Was Our Canaan, please contact us at CDigS University of Windsor Film Credits: Direction and Cinematography: Anushray Singh Executive Producers: Irene Moore Davis and Heidi LM Jacobs Sound: Sikandar Saleem Editing: Brandon Bastien and Anushray Singh Digital Imaging Technician: Brandon Bastien Production Assistant: Prasanna Marathan Research Assistant: Devon Fraser Interviewees: Irene Moore Davis, Kimberly Simmons, Lana Talbot, Teajai Travis, and Charlotte Watkins. Special Thanks to Charlotte Watkins and the Watkins family, Kimberly Simmons, Essex County Black Historical Research Society, Lana Talbot, The Historical Sandwich FIRST Baptist Church, the Sandwich First Baptist Church Choir (Lana Talbot, Curdel Warlock-Smith, David Toney, Gabrielle Toney, Henry Green), and Teajai Travis. Thanks to: the University of Windsor and the University of Windsor’s Leddy Library, Centre for Digital Scholarship, Archives and Special Collections, School of Creative Arts, and Office of Research and Innovation of Services. Thanks to our University of Windsor colleagues: Min Bae, Sue Fader, Devon Fraser, Dave Johnston, Devon Mordell, Kim Nelson, and Peter Zimmerman. All filming was done on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations people in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex peninsula and the straits les détroits of Detroit.@

"It's by no means an exhaustive list, or a substitute for improved education on Black British History in the UK, but it is a chance highlight events and individuals many of us were not taught about in school." https://www.bustle.com/life/black-british-firsts-a-timeline

"A local hair salon owner was recently recognized for her efforts in preserving, protecting and promoting Black beauty culture in Nova Scotia." https://globalnews.ca//dartmouth-business-award-samantha-/

"Research is underway into Knowsley’s historic links to slavery which will see plaques installed on specific street names and areas of the borough. Knowsley Council recently confirmed that it is progressing well with plans to recognise and mark the borough’s historical links to slavery, which can be noted in a number of street names and other locations." https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk//black-history-month-plaqu

"But this multicultural street is far from what it once was.In the 1960s, this was once known as the most racist street in Britain." https://news.sky.com//black-history-month-55-years-ago-thi

"Film and TV play a vital role in forming perspectives, informing identities and educating people. Traditionally, an overwhelming absence of Black stories, coupled with the lack of Black representation on screen and also behind the camera, have done serious disservice to the history and legacy of Black people." https://www.elle.com//g34328855/best-black-movies-tv-shows/

"Black people, both in Britain and in the colonial world, have not waited meekly for changes to take place. From the abolition of slavery to the removal of the colour bar, and from the moderate inclusion campaigns of the League of Coloured Peoples in the 1930s to more militant organising against police brutality in the 1970s, Black people in Britain have defended their communities, mobilised and contributed to vital social and institutional change." https://www.theguardian.com//real-black-history-government

" Black people continue to innovate in the spirits industry with distillers experimenting with ingredients such as hemp or infusing their products with smoke. From a Scottish rum producer to a grain-to-glass distiller in Colorado, US, there are a number of distilleries operated or founded by Black people across the world." https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com//discover-10-black-fou/

""Driving While Black: Space, Race and Mobility in America" turns out to be an extremely rich and detailed PBS documentary, exploring the long history of restrictions on Black movement, from slavery through the present. As part of that journey, the two-hour film addresses not only modern-day issues of policing but deeper ones about the American Dream denied." https://www.cnn.com//entertainment/driving-whil/index.html

https://www.ctvnews.ca//disney-recruits-rapsody-others-for