City celebrates start of Black History Month with launch event, City Hall art exhibition opening

The City of St. Catharines invites residents to celebrate the start of Black History Month with a special launch event and the unveiling of an art exhibition at City Hall.

The City will host the launch event on Monday, Feb. 2, at 3:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, on the third floor of City Hall. The event will include remarks from Mayor Mat Siscoe as well as performances from acclaimed jazz, soul and pop artist Juliet Dunn, and a poetry reading from singer, songwriter, and poet, Andrew Reid. There will also be an official appointment of the City’s inaugural Poet Laureate, Shannon Kitchings. Following the program, a flag-raising ceremony will take place on the front lawn of City Hall.

"This is the 30th anniversary of celebrating Black History Month in Canada,” said Dr. Tapo Chimbganda, Founding Executive Director, Future Black Female. “It’s a significant milestone, especially as residents across St. Catharines and the Niagara Region come together to celebrate and uplift Black communities in meaningful ways. It means a lot to those of us who call St. Catharines home."

Following the flag-raising ceremony, residents are invited back inside City Hall to the third floor for the unveiling of the art exhibition, “Black Histories, Black Futures,” presented in partnership with Future Black Female, and Blackowned 905. Curated by Tanika Hillocks, Cultural Community Consultant, the exhibition invites us to reflect on the depth and presence of Black histories in St. Catharines and beyond. It honours future worlds where Black identity and culture are imagined in transformative ways, while affirming that Black presence is not confined to the past. A reception begins at about 4:30 p.m., with remarks at 5 p.m. Snacks will be provided by local Black-owned business, Flavour Fuel.

"Curating this exhibition goes beyond Black History Month; it's an ode to building collectively, with care,” Hillocks said. “From the artists and the stories behind each work to the space we share, this exhibition asks us to reflect not just on how Black histories are held but on how Black futures are shaped, together."

Featured artists include Emmanuel Akolo, Victory Anthony-Nted, Israel Crooks, Glory Inegbedion, Talia Jermyn, Sonia Kimaro, Wayne Moore, and MOON the artist.

The exhibition will remain on display on the third floor of City Hall and can be viewed during normal business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until Feb. 27.

Throughout the month of February, the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is inviting residents to learn more and celebrate Black history and culture in St. Catharines by exploring the last year of the exhibit, “Last Stop: In their Own Words”. Last Stop challenges the traditional narratives of the local settlement of refugee Freedom Seekers in St. Catharines in the 1850s. Also watch for the museum’s Black History Month blog series every Saturday this February.

The City is also proud to partner for Future Black Female’s Annual On Stage Variety Show, on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 1 to 5 p.m., at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre – an unforgettable afternoon highlighting the creativity, brilliance, and diversity of Black talent in the Niagara Region. This high-energy show promises a captivating mix of musical performances, comedy, dance, and spoken word, all curated to showcase the richness of Black artistic expression. From emerging voices to seasoned performers, audiences will experience an afternoon full of inspiration, entertainment, and storytelling brought to life on stage. There will also be an exciting vendor market curated by BlackOwned905. Tickets are pay what you can, including free.

St. Catharines Public Library will host two presentations during Black History Month, both registration encouraged; walk-ins welcome as space permits. Harriet Tubman in Niagara (Feb. 3, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Merritt Branch) with guest speaker Rochelle Bush, owner and operator of Tubman Tours Canada and a descendant of freedom seekers.

Public Archaeology and History of the Cataract House Hotel: The Underground Railroad at the Niagara River Borderlands (Feb. 11, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Merritt Branch). Join Douglas Pirelli, Director of Archeological Survey, University of Buffalo, to discover more about the Cataract House Hotel, the busiest Underground Railroad crossing on the Niagara frontier. Its predominantly African American wait staff orchestrated the escapes of freedom seekers into Canada.