Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating Black History Month at St. James!
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We celebrated Black History Month at St. James!
Music on Sundays:
Enjoy music from a repertoire of Black Composers: Samuel Coleridge Taylor, José Nunes Garcia, Florence Price, David Hurd, Roderick Williams, Trevor Weston and Moses Hogan.
Organ Recital – February 9 at 4:00pm:
We are privileged to hear the Third Symphony of Florence Price (1887-1953) played by Joshua Duncan Lee, who will also join us at the organ console for Evensong. Invite your friends!
St. James Celebrates Black History Month:
February 16 at 11:00am: Preacher The Rev. Matthew Waterman. Music notes for this service.
February 23 at 9:00am & 11:00am: Preacher Denise Byard
International potluck meal “Table of Nations” – February 22 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm:
Join the Black History Month (BHM) Committee and celebrate the diverse nations and cultures that make up our Cathedral community! Enjoy the BHM exhibit, trivia, music & food.
If you want to prepare & share a cultural dish as part of the potluck, please contact us by email at info@stjamescathedral.ca, call 416-364-7865, or fill out the form here.
Diocesan Celebration – February 23 at 4:30pm:
The Diocese celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the 1st Diocesan Black History Service, featuring St. Paul’s L’Amoreaux Steel Band and The Ghanaian Anglican Church Drummers.
Presider: Bishop Andrew Asbil, Preacher: The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields.
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This month, we are highlighting diverse people and information who contribute to Black History in Canada.
“The seeds of a fruitful society are sown in the minds of its youth.”
Jean Augustine – the first Black Canadian woman to serve as a federal member of parliament and a cabinet minister. A teacher first elected in 1993 and re-elected three times, she served as the patron of several non-profit organizations after leaving politics.
Jean Augustine: In 1995, she introduced a motion in the House of Commons to recognize February as Black History Month. The motion to recognize February as Black History Month passed unanimously and went into effect in 1996.
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“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.”
Desmond Tutu – a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, and an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was the first Black African to be the Bishop of Johannesburg and then Archbishop of Cape Town.
Desmond Tutu: Retired South African Archbishop who preached at the Cathedral twice during his lifetime. South African Anglican Archbishop, theologian. Anti-apartheid and human rights activist.
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“Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Viola Desmond – a Canadian civil and women’s rights activist and businesswoman in Nova Scotia. Memorialized on Canada’s $10 bill, she challenged racial segregation at a cinema by refusing to leave a whites-only area of the theatre.
Viola Desmond: A Canadian civil and women’s rights activist and businesswoman in Nova Scotia. Memorialized on Canada’s $10 bill for challenging racial segregation.
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“To gaze into another person’s face is to do two things: to recognize their humanity and to assert your own.”
Lawrence Hill – a Canadian novelist, essayist, and teacher. Known for 2007s novel “The Book of Negroes,” he has authored ten books and was selected for the 2013 Massey Lectures where he drew from his non-fiction “Blood: The Stuff of Life,” published that year.
Lawrence Hill: A Canadian novelist, essayist, and teacher. He is known for his award-winning 2007 novel, “The Book of Negroes.” He has authored ten books.
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The Honourable Kamal Khera: Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities.
Celebrating contributions of Black Canadians while paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future.
For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/news/2025/01/the-government-of-canada-announces-the-theme-for-black-history-month-2025.html
