February is Black History Month

A NEW LEARNING
Western Canadians are generally surprised to know that the month of February is Black History Month in Canada. When do we hear or even speak about African Canadians? Our deficit of familiarity is reasonable since the Black history being celebrated occurred chiefly in Ontario and Eastern Canada. While Toronto's Black History Society successfully petitioned the city of Toronto for the event in 1978 it has now become a commemoration officially observed across Canada.

Travelling secretively by night approximately 50,000 slaves found freedom between 1810 to 1850 through an informal network of secret routes and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. The route from the southern States north to Canada was developed by white abolitionist sympathizers, free-born blacks and former slaves. Churches such as Reformed Presbyterians, Quakers (Religious Society of Friends), Wesleyans, Baptists, Congregationalists and Methodists also played a supportive role. (The photo is of the Underground Railroad monument in Windsor ON)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada posts in its site the following statement. “This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of black Canadians who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is also an opportunity for the majority of Canadians to learn about the experiences of black Canadians in our society, and the vital role this community has played throughout our shared history.”

Today the African-Canadian population is made up of individuals from a range of places across the globe including the United States, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Canada. Canadians may pride ourselves for tolerance and inclusiveness but the erosion of racial bigotry has been slow. We now can say there have been black male and female members of parliament, Senators, Judges, a Moderator of the United Church, Ontario's first Ombudsman, and Ontario's Lt. Governor etc. and of course Haitian born Michaëlle Jean our current Governor General. Canada's First Black Mayor is Haitian immigrant Dr. Fermin Monestime of Mattawa.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has a helpful site entitled ‘On the Road North – the Journey to Freedom which contains good data and a slide show.

Read the book ‘A Safe Haven: The Story of Black Settlers of Oxford County’ by Joyce A. Pettigrew is an excellent example of recent black history. That is available together with a variety of others including one for children up to age 12, at the Black History Society site.

INAUGURATION DAY

A NEW LEARNING
It’s here - the 20th of January 2009 - Barak Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. This is a remarkable, important, longed-for day, perhaps even a blessed day in the life of the USA.

Obama will be sworn in at midday. Barak Obama will place his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used during his 1861 inauguration. Lincoln arrived in Washington by train and this past Saturday Obama and Biden and their grateful entourage recreated the final Philadelphia to Washington leg of that earlier journey. During his presidency Lincoln emancipated African and American born slaves and ended slavery in America. Obama will swear the oath of office a short distance from the spot from which Martin Luther King spoke his eloquent ‘I have a dream’ speech forty years ago. The inauguration of America’s first black President happens one day after the commemoration of Martin Luther King Day.

The momentous nature of this event and its timing relative to other historic events is neither incidental, nor can it be overlooked by anyone, not even those who despise the notion of a non Caucasian in high office in the USA, or those who simply loathe Americans. Disgusting as it is to consider, white supremacist and terrorist websites bear detestable commentaries. Security is unprecedented and sophisticated for this inauguration. A Prius it is not. The Secret Service has dubbed the new presidential limousine “The Beast.” It’s a Cadillac, customized with five-inch (13 cm.) thick armour, bomb-proof glass, interior impenetrable by chemical attack and puncture proof tires. One of Eleven people in Washington today is ‘Security.’ The security force is estimated at 40,000 people, including 7,500 active duty soldiers, 10,000 National Guard troops and 25,000 law-enforcement officers. Subways have installed explosive and chemical bomb sniffing devices.

Please! Please! I don’t want to live through it again, I can’t do it! John F. Kennedy ushered in an era of hope and promise in 1960 which ended in blood in 1963, followed by Martin Luther King’s assassination and then that of John’s brother Bobby. I was twenty-one years of age in 1963. It was the year when King’s stirring speech in Washington broke the heart of America to bring about this day when Obama with hand on the Bible, becomes the leader of the land of the free and the home of the brave. God bless America.

“Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

1. If you weren’t old enough to hear King’s courageous oratory, or if you would benefit from a reminder spend 17 minutes listening to this.
2. King's last speech, "I have seen the promised land." is a few minutes in length.

Oh yes, It's Bush's last day at the White House.