Black History Month Resources for Young People
February is Black History Month in Canada and in many other places. We remember the legacy of great Black Canadians throughout history, we celebrate the work of Black artists, innovators, and change makers, and we recognize the inequality, erasure, and injustice that Black communities in Canada have long endured. VPL strives to celebrate Black excellence all year in our booklists, collections, and events.
Black History Month is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn, ask questions, and explore. Below are resources, events, and organizations to help young people learn more about Black history, the Black Canadian experience, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
Are you a Black artist, writer, or expert in your field interested in partnering with the library to run a program for kids or teens? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more and submit a proposal.
For Kids (grades K-7)
Check out VPL’s booklists! Black History Month for Kids in print and ebooks on overdrive.
Start a book club or read along together with friends & family! VPL offers the following Book Club Kit which includes 10 copies of the book and a discussion guide:
For Teens (grades 8-12)
- Check out VPL’s Black History Month Reads for Teens booklist
- Start a book club or read along together with friends & family! VPL offers the following Book Club Kits which include 10 copies of the book and a discussion guide:
- Watch our 2022 program Harrison Mooney: Invisible Boy! Former VPL Writer in Residence Harrison Mooney discusses his memoir, Invisible Boy, a coming-of-age story of growing up as a Black child in a white evangelical family, getting abused for his colour while finding his Black consciousness, and finally reuniting with his biological mother after twenty-five years.
- Other resources & organizations:
- Empowered Black Girl is a BC mentorship conference for Black teen girls by Black women, developed by Black Women Connect Vancouver.
- Black Youth Helpline aims to provide culturally appropriate and relevant support to young Black people in Canada. They can also be reached toll-free at 1-833-294-8650.
- Secret Vancouver: Return to Hogan’s Alley is a short documentary available on YouTube about Vancouver’s once-vibrant Black neighbourhood.
- Vancouver Black Library's Instagram page has great resources, information on their programs, and a link to their library catalogue.
- BC Community Alliance is dedicated to combating the structural inequities created by anti-Black racism in educational settings in BC.
For All Ages
- Online resources:
- The Canadian Encyclopedia: Black History in Canada: Take quizzes, watch videos, explore a timeline and read hundreds of articles about Black Canadian history!
- Black Strathcona: Using an interactive map and short videos, this project highlights the remarkable people and places of Vancouver’s first black neighbourhood.
- BC Black History Awareness Society: In addition to hosting public events, the BCBHAS’s online learning centre offers profiles of Black history makers, a timeline of Black history in BC, a digital museum exhibit featuring archival photos and materials, and a chance to earn a BCBHAS certificate by testing your knowledge!
- Black History Month: Government of Canada: Learn more about how Black History Month came to be recognized in Canada and significant people and events from Black Canadian history.
Contact Us
Upcoming Events
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Celebrate Black History Month at the library exploring stories, books, music and songs. Join Library staff along with a roster of special guests. Best suited for an audience of young children ages 2-5 along with their parents and caregivers.
Drop...
10:00am – 12:00pm
Central Library -
This Black History Month, VPL is partnering with the Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre (VLACC) to present two powerful films showcasing stories of Afro-Latinidad.
Following each screening, there will be a thought-provoking moderated discussion led by storyteller and...
6:00pm – 8:15pm
Central Library