The opening ceremonies will feature speaker Dr. Nicole Keniki.
Museum London is marking Black History Month with a wide range of events that celebrate local Black history, culture, and future voices.
The opening ceremonies take place Saturday, February 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., organized by the London Black Heritage Council in partnership with Museum London. The event will feature speakers, poets, dancers, and community organizations, along with food provided by Yaya’s Kitchen.
TD Curator of Collections Zahra McDoom says Black History Month is an opportunity for the community to learn about Black history rooted in London and the surrounding region.
She added the region has many different groups from the African diaspora. Which is why the Museum looks not only at Black history, but also Black futures.
The opening ceremonies will feature speaker Dr. Nicole Keniki, who will share insights from her work.
Community groups will also host information tables in the museum’s atrium, including Black History in Oxford County, Norwich Museum and Archives, Island Fest London, the Nigerian Association of the London Area, Wortley Pride, and the 519 School of Hip Hop.
Visitors are also invited to explore Black Lives Lived Here: London Family Photos from the 1910s to the 1960s, an exhibit curated by McDoom and currently on display at Museum London.
Among the featured stories are photographs connected to Joey Hollingsworth, a London-born tap dancer and entertainer who appeared on CBC television, Mr. Dressup, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and The Ed Sullivan Show.
The exhibit also includes church scenes, family celebrations, weddings, and everyday moments that highlight Black life in the London region generations.
Additional Black History Month programming includes a February 26 screening of the National Film Board documentary Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, which explores the life of groundbreaking soul singer Jackie Shane. The museum is also featuring works by Lido Pimienta, along with installations by local Black artists throughout the galleries.
The Black Lives Lived Here exhibit runs until April, giving visitors the chance to explore London’s Black history well beyond the month of February.
