Chatham-Kent IBL baseball club to immediately drop 'blackbirds' name
Chatham-Kent IBL baseball club to immediately drop 'blackbirds' name
The newly minted Chatham-Kent Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) franchise is immediately dropping their recently announced “Blackbirds” name after learning the term held historical derogatory use.
The Chatham-Kent IBL club announced it would be dropping the name after announced the “Chatham-Kent Blackbirds” won the community-wide naming contest Friday.
“This decision was made following important community feedback surrounding the historical derogatory use of the term ‘blackbird’ and ‘blackbirding’ that may be harmful to some members of our community,” the club said in an official statement Monday.
Historically, the term “blackbirding” involves to the coercion of people through deception or kidnapping to work as slaves, or poorly paid labourers, the statement said.
“Whether there was intention or not, doesn't matter. The fact is the fact, that this was that historical terminology,” said vice president of communications Jay Smith. “It's derogatory. It's hurtful to some members of our community. And we want this club, this organization to be inclusive to all of our community. To be a team for this entire community. And obviously Chatham-Kent has a deep history specifically with the Black community.”
“This is important and this is something that can't be ignored. So we refuse to ignore it.”
The IBL club said plans are in place to change the team’s name to “better reflect the diverse cultural history of the community.”
“We're going to take a couple of days to just let this breathe,” said Smith. “Not have a quick knee jerk reaction on this next name. We want to make sure we get it right.”
Inter-County Baseball League (IBL) officials say there were over 600 submissions with more than 400 names suggested.
The five finalists on the list were revealed as North Stars, Legends, Wheat Kings, Field Kings and Blackbirds.
During the announcement Friday, team officials said the Blackbirds concept was adopted by the club in relation to the popularity of the birds throughout Chatham-Kent and following a number of “Crow” related entries in the online contest.
According to executive director and curator of the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum Sam Meredith, CK IBL officials have already reached out to arrange meetings and educational consultations.
“Personally, that was a term I hadn't ever come across before in the museum,” Meredith told CTV News. “But a simple Google search kind of brought up the whole page about it being putting people into slavery. And I think that connection to Chatham-Kent being part of the Underground Railroad and stuff, it's important that that name change come about.”
“You’ve got to keep educating yourself and looking at what terms mean historically and present day. And you know, sometimes you just have to make a change from that.”
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a leaked cellphone call, commiserated with a COVID-19 protester about his trial while divulging to him there was an internal dispute over how Crown prosecutors were handling COVID-19 cases.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
Fire crews remain on scene of a blaze in east London. The call came in around 1:30 a.m. for a structure fire at 720 Cabell St. near Roberts Avenue and crews immediately started a defensive fight from outside the building.
Parents had their say at a Vimy Ridge Public School town hall as the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board addressed concerns around harassment and bullying.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Canadian Press has learned that Ontario has granted a three-month funding extension for doctors to provide care through virtual emergency departments.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
A young man found wounded late Wednesday night in the parking lot of a shopping centre in northeast Montreal is believed to be the victim of an earlier shooting in the same area. Montreal police (SPVM) reported Thursday morning that the 18-year-old man's life was no longer in danger.
A new regulation that comes into effect Thursday in Quebec prohibits the feeding of white-tailed deer outside of hunting season, from Dec. 1 to Aug. 31, except on l'ile d'Anticosti.
The eve of the release of the final report from the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s 2020 mass shooting is a reminder for residents of Portapique of their small community’s traumatic past.
Retired 93-year-old priest Arthur Masse has been acquitted of indecent assault following an investigation into sexual abuse allegations at the Fort Alexander Residential School in Manitoba more than 50 years ago.
A bylaw officer in Manitoba is facing fraud charges for allegedly keeping the surrender fees when people gave up their pets, according to the Brandon Police Service.
A Manitoba family has launched a lawsuit alleging their 23-year-old son had a stroke days after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving him legally blind.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Calgary police say they've arrested a woman in connection with a stabbing at the Lions Park LRT station that stemmed from a fight between several people.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
A 2021 plane crash at the Westlock Airport was caused by an "unstable visual approach" to the landing runway, a Transportation Safety Board investigator has found.
Alberta's energy regulator has defended its finding that the province's largest recorded earthquake was caused by oilpatch activity, saying the pattern of temblors since last fall clearly points to a water disposal well even though there's no suggestion rules were flouted.
The Riverview Hospital itself has been closed for more than a decade, but 289 people are currently receiving treatment for mental health, addictions or both at the old site.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
