From the Editor: Why Black History Month is needed and should be recognized year round
Hogan's Alley was a neighbourhood in Vancouver from the 1920s to 1960s. (Austin Kelly)
In Canada, February marks Black History Month (BHM), a dedicated month where people acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions made by Black Canadians.
BHM has been celebrated since 1995 in Canada, after Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to parliament, led the official recognition of BHM in the country.
Although I am not Black, it’s important for non Black Canadians to do their research, not only in February, but also the rest of the year, about the history Canada and B.C. carries so we can acknowledge the contributions Black Canadians have made and what still needs to be done.
Vancouver and B.C. carry a complicated and rich history, both with good and bad elements. In 1858, roughly 800 free Black people left San Francisco to live a new life on Vancouver Island leaving oppressive racial conditions, according to the City of Vancouver’s website.
In the early 1900s, many from the Black community from Vancouver Island moved to the Lower Mainland and took home in the Strathcona neighbourhood, also known as Hogan’s Alley. Between the 1920s and 60s, the neighbourhood was a thriving community for many immigrant communities, however it was mostly known for its African-Canadian population.
Hogan’s Alley wasn’t the official name of the neighbourhood as it came from the popular term for a T-shaped intersection and the nearby residences and businesses that resided in the southwestern edge of Strathcona, according to the Canadian Encyclopedia. Park Lane was the official name of the area, and the actual alley ran between Union and Prior Streets from Main Street to Jackson Avenue. The neighbourhood had Black settlement due to the Great Northern Railway station nearby and housing discrimination in other parts of Vancouver.
In 1967, people living in Hogan’s Alley were uprooted due to the city’s decision to expand the highway system to make room for the construction of the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts, which tore down homes and businesses. Today, there are murals to represent the community that once was and organizations to help keep the presence of Black history alive in Vancouver, such as non-profit organization Hogan’s Alley Society.
Hogan’s Alley Society has been working with the City of Vancouver since 2022 to redevelop the community block to ensure the “block represents the legacy of the Strathcona’s Black community.”
The neighbourhood is just one of the many parts of Vancouver and Canada’s Black history. It sheds light on the inequalities and circumstances people face in the city and the importance of preservation and remembrance for future generations.
It’s also important to recognize some of the many notable figures who helped shape Canada into what it is today. Some were businesswomen and civil rights activists like Viola Desmond, who was put on the $10 bill in 2018. Desmond was most known for her story of refusing to accept racial discrimination at the Roseland Theatre in Nova Scotia and used her experience to speak against injustice.
Others were anti-slavery activists and journalists like Mary Ann Shadd who was the first Black newspaperwoman in North America as she founded and was the editor of the Provincial Freeman.
I am not Black, so I can’t or should speak on what it’s like to face these issues, but instead to always learn, listen, and celebrate the accomplishments that have been made to make Canada better and what still needs to be done to uplift others.
BHM is an important, dedicated time of the year to learning about the history, accomplishments, and arts and culture that make Canada into what it is today. However we must continue this work throughout the rest of the year to acknowledge what still needs to be done to tackle the many issues we still see today like racism, systemic discrimination, and hate crimes.
