Black History Month

This is a photo of five black panelists sitting on high chairs. Some of them are looking over at a screen, where another panelist has joined them virtually.
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SOCA kicks off Black History Month with ceremony

Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik February 17, 2025

Editor’s Note: C Icart, humour editor at The Peak, was a panelist at this event. He was not involved in the production of this article. On February 3, a snowy afternoon on Burnaby Mountain coated the campus in a blanket of reflection. Inside, SFU Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA) held their Black History Month kickoff ceremony. Formed in 1994, SOCA “is an equity-seeking constituency group focusing on raising awareness on issues relevant to people of Black, African, and Caribbean descent on campus and globally.” They also provide community and a safe space for Black students on campus. The…

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A wooden chopping board, black mortar and pestle, various spices, knives, and a cast-iron skillet on a wooden surface.
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The Book Nook: Cookbooks from Cameroon to the islands of Comoros

Izzy Cheung February 7, 2025

[caption id="attachment_130691" align="alignnone" width="200"] IMAGE: Courtesy of Ten Speed Press[/caption] In Bibi’s Kitchen  Hawa Hassan and Julia Turshen Available to borrow from the Vancouver Public Library  Published in 2020, this book collects recipes from Eritrean, Somalian, Kenyan, Tanzanian, Mozambican, South…

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Need to Know, Need to Go: Black History Month

Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik February 3, 2025

[caption id="attachment_130645" align="alignnone" width="696"] PHOTO: Jasmeen Sran / The Peak[/caption] DIVERSEcity Black in BC: Celebrating Black Excellence When: Friday, Feb 7, 3:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.  Cost: Free Where: Surrey Art Gallery & Surrey Civic Theatres at Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 88…

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A civil rights protest calling for equality, housing, and integrated schools
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The erasure of Black narratives persists

Michelle Young February 21, 2024

Content warning: mentions of racism and enslavement.  Perhaps we know Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks — but what else is known about how Black people shaped history in Canada and the US? There are many “forgotten” histories that…

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An illustration of J Dila
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The everlasting effect of brilliant sampling: J Dilla’s Donuts

Yildiz Subuk February 19, 2024

Sampling in hip-hop had been around since the early days of the genre, but producer J Dilla took it a step further and composed an album entirely through the use of sampling. Donuts, released on Dilla’s 32nd birthday (February 2006),…

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front cover of Kobe Bryant’s autobiography
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Black excellence in sports as told through media

Hailey Miller February 15, 2024

Content warning: anti-Black racism and enslavement. Films and Documentaries Remember the Titans (2000) Where to watch: Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ Based on a true story in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971, Black football coach Herman Boone sets out to…

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Need to Know, Need to Go: SOCA’s Black History Month events

Vee Babbar and Petra Chase February 10, 2023

Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA), a student-run group representing SFU’s Black community, has packed the month with events for Black History Month. The Peak interviewed events coordinator Mugasha Rutega to get an inside scoop about what’s in store. …

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Need to Know, Need to Go: Black History Month in Vancouver

Vee Babbar and Petra Chase February 8, 2023

Issamba Showcase: A Journey through the depths of African-rooted rhythms When: February 19, 7:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Where: 1882 Adanac Street, Vancouver  Get transfixed by world-famous Malian artist, Mamadou Diabate, and their formation of African instrumentation: Percussion Mania. Percussion Mania is…

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Headshot of D. O. Gibson. Gibson wears a blue hat that says “G.O.A.T.” and a blue plaid shirt against a black backdrop.
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D. O. Gibson inspires youth through hip-hop

Anna Kazi January 30, 2023

World record-setting rapper, Duane “D.O” Gibson, kicked off the year with the Black Music 365 tour which teaches youth in BC about the musical contributions of Black Canadian talent. Gibson spent the second week of January speaking and performing his…

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Two people standing next to each other, Dr. Thompson is on the right. Dr. Jeremy Brown of the history department is on the left.
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Dr. Debra Thompson lectures on Black belonging in North America

Yelin Gemma Lee March 1, 2022

On February 17, Dr. Debra Thompson presented, “Homegoing: Blackness and Belonging Across the Canada/US Border,” at the Harbour Event Centre. She is the second guest speaker in SFU department of history’s annual public lecture series.  Her lecture focused on Black…

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