Black+History+Month


 * February is Black History Month! **



**Beautiful view of the Lobstick River, near the town of** **Wildwood, Alberta formerly known as Junkins, in 1908.**

Did you know that the tiny hamlet of Wildwood, Alberta (part way between Stony Plain and Edson) was the first rural Black community in Alberta? If you don't, then you need to explore this link to [|Alberta's Black Pioneer History] in **//AlbertaSource.ca//** in the **ORC.** Wildwood`s local history book is another source to check for details on one of Alberta`s unique local communities.You could request it on InterLibraryLoan (ILL) from your local public library if you wish to find information on the first Black families that came to this area.

Another great place to check out is the [|Black History Canada Portal] recently developed by TD and Historica Dominions (the folks who bring you [|The Canadian Encyclopedia]online and which is also available as a link in the **ORC**). The purpose of the Guide is to enhance your students knowledge and appreciation of the Black Canadian experience, drawing from Lawrence Hill’s award-winning historical fiction, The Book of Negroes, the remarkable journey of Aminata Diallo and the historic British document known as the “Book of Negroes`. When searching //Canadian Encyclopedia use either : (black history// OR African Canadian) for best results.

**Most ORC resources will yield results on this topic, however the following hold some very interesting hidden gems to help launch your discussions and research.**

//**Bookflix**// has fiction & non-fiction books read aloud about famous African Americans: Jackie Robinson; Martin Luther King, Jr; Rosa Parks Note that //Bookflix// is most suitable for use with K-3 students.

//**Teachingbooks.net**// If you would like ready-to-use resources about K-12 books and authors that the American Library Association's Coretta Scott King Book Award has recognized during the past 41 years as exemplary presentations about the life and experiences of black Americans, you can access this special collection via [|**TeachingBooks.net**] on the **ORC.**

**The following ORC resources are most suitable for use with Grades 8-12.** //**History Study Centre**// in the **ORC** is featuring **Black History** as its theme this month. Look for it on the homepage near the bottom.

Search **Statistics Canada** from the **ORC** using ``African Canadians`` as search term for population tables. Search **Early Canadiana Online** for the title ``A Yankee in Canada`` by Henry David Thoreau, written on a visit to Quebec in 1866 for an interesting perspective on the discussion of slavery in Massachusetts at the time. (Primary Document content therefore preface context when using with students).

Search **Peel`s Prairie Provinces** in the **ORC** using ``black settlers`` OR ``negroes`` as search terms and select //newspapers// from the search drop down. Remember this is a primary document resource so language will NOT be politically correct. You will find some extraordinary gems here dating back to //Calgary Herald// article from 1899!