'There's a lot of education that needs to be done': Strong support for Black History Month flag raising in Chatham

Black History Month flag raising in Chatham-Kent, Ont. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

A larger than usual crowd turned out for the Black History Month flag raising event in front of the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre on Wednesday.

The event was held to kick-off Black History Month celebrations across the municipality.

“To see the turnout here is amazing,” said Steven Cook, curator of the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History in Dresden. “We had people here from all walks of life and different businesses and few of the different churches here in the town as well. It's really, really encouraging to see that support that we had.”

According to Cook though, more education is key after several recent events.

“When we renamed our museum from Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site, we soon were made aware that there's a lot of education that needs to be done because people just didn't understand the harm and the racial undertones in the name Uncle Tom. And similar with the Blackbird, the name of a baseball team that was dropped recently this week,” Cook explained. 

“There's these racial undertones that unless people are made aware of it, they don't know how it's perceived within different communities and within the Black community. It really was words that hurt us and harmed us and we wanted to make sure that that change was brought about.”

He continued, “we really are impressed with how quickly and decisively the executive made the change for the name and we were going to work with them to hopefully bring about a name that's going to be welcoming and all-encompassing for the community.”

Cook encouraged residents and visitors to check out the Josiah Henson and Buxton National Historic Museum sites along with the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum.

“I have to tell you, though, and this is probably a first that all three sites, we are fully booked for the month of February,” Cook said. “That's how strong the interest is that continues to grow and grow every year. So we do encourage people to come out to hear the history firsthand, because I'll challenge you that probably throughout the entirety of Canada, you're not going to find the same kind of Black representation that you'll find here in Chatham-Kent.”

“Historically, we have so many firsts that came right out of here in Chatham-Kent. So let's be proud of them and let's shine a light on it and let the world know what we have to offer.”

“Celebrate our history. Celebrate the future. Make people aware. Education is powerful,” said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff.

Caniff said he hadn’t seen that large of a crowd at a flag raising in a long time.

“I want people to get out and celebrate that history and learn about that history. Get out to the amazing places and events that we have planned over the next month.”