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Books to Celebrate Black History Month in Canada

Featured • February 2, 2021 • RLBC

February is Black History Month, and while the histories and mythologies of Black culture we collectively observe are frequently US-centric, Black Canadians have their own powerful legacy. From the cultural hub of Hogan’s Alley in Vancouver to the Black Loyalists who settled in Nova Scotia following the American Revolution, Black communities have always been a deeply embedded part of Canada’s history –– even though systemic erasure has frequently threatened that history and culture. In honour of Black History Month we have compiled a selection of books to explore by yourself or with loved ones this February. Take a look!


For Children and Young Readers

Diversity and representation are key for building confidence and self-esteem in children. Some of the best ways to help a child feel good about themselves is to see people who look like them and who share their experiences –– or open their world view to embrace the diversity of people that live within it. If you have a young reader in your life, why not share one of these touching stories of Blackness with them?

For History Lovers

Cover of City in Colour and cover of Go Do Some Great Thing.

There is a great wealth of Black history in Canada that almost never gets spoken of. Consider the Black American emigrants who found refuge in Victoria from the increasingly oppressive and anti-Black Californian legal system, and who later became pivotal in shaping the province into what it is today. For this and other stories of Black history in Canada, consider the following books:

For the Poetic Soul

Cover of How She Read, Cover of Burning Sugar, Cover of Eat Salt | Gaze at the Ocean.

Poetry is an incredible medium for transmitting profoundly moving human experiences within and between groups both contemporary and historical. There is something about writing (and reading) lives, thoughts and emotions in lyrical verse that creates a shared transcendence of our own humanness. Black poets of British Columbia have given Canada and the world some truly breathtaking poetry, and we’re happy to share a fraction of it here:


Black History Month in Canada is a time to reflect on the lives and accomplishments of Black Canadians in both history and contemporary times. We hope you’ll find something new and surprising in these books, and invite you to learn more about Black history in British Columbia, and in Canada as a whole.