Black History Month Events & Activities 2024

A rundown of English-Language Arts events happening in Quebec for Black History Month 2024. Many of these events have been contributed by ELAN members and folks in the community. If you have an event you would like to see included on this list, feel free to reach out to communications[at]quebec-elan.org

For the most up to date events & activities, be sure to follow along with these community organizations:

Mois de l’histoire des Noir.e.s (This is the official & most complete calendar for Black History Month activities in Quebec, available in French & English)
Fondation Dynastie
Council for Black Aging Community of Montreal
Black Estrie (Eastern Townships)

February 1 – 17

DIGGERS (Theatre) – a Black Theatre Workshop and Prairie Theatre Exchange Co-Production opens on February 1 at Segal Centre for Performing Arts. “There are those who stand apart by merit of the work they do – whether they want to or not. Three gravediggers make the best of a bad situation as townsfolk grow increasingly distant.”
Click here to learn more & to get your tickets

February 7

Mighty Jerome (Documentary Film) – presented at 7 p.m. at the Alanis Obomsawin Theatre, located in the NFB headquarters in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles.
Click here to learn more & to get your tickets

February 8

Black Montreal Photographers Swap & Chat Event (Photographer networking) – a Montreal gathering for Black photographers at all skill levels coming together to exchange more than just images.
Click here to learn more & to get your tickets

Feb 10

BLACK VOICES IN DANCE (Round table discussion about dance in ENG & FR) – Hosted by street dance professional, Jaleesa « Tealeaf » Coligny with the choreographer and dancer of ~~DARK~~MATTER, Cherish Menzo, as well as the performer of CONFESSION PUBLIQUE, Angélique Willkie, this round table will lead a reflection and a dialogue on around the question of decolonization of dance stages, representation of Black bodies on stage, and the creative process as black artists.
Click here for details.

Feb 11

INSIDE MADPOETIX STUDIOS (Interdisciplinary & Open Mic) – Soirées Intimes Series allows the audience to get to know the feature performer through an interview during the show live. Jonathan Émile will be interviewed by our host Kym Dominique-Ferguson @Mrkdferguson. This is a one of a kind experience. There will be 8 Open Mic spots available for all genres: spoken word, poetry, comedy, singers, clowns, dancers, you name it we welcome it. They are each given a 5 min timeslot.
Click here to learn more & to get your tickets

Feb 14

Afrodiaspora Global (documentary) – tracing filmmaker and anthropologist Sheila S Walker’s research into African diaspora communities around the world. After the screening will be a discussion with Walker as well as Khadiatou Sarr, a doctoral student at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) specializing in international law.
Click here to learn more

Feb 15 – 25

Imago Theatre ‘s production, The Flood, opens February 15th at Centaur Theatre Company – opening night is already sold out, so don’t sleep on tickets, get yours now!
Click here to learn more & to get your tickets

Feb 21

A Conversation with 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalist Dionne Irving (Virtual) – The Eleanor London Cote Saint Luc Public Library is holding an event with author Dionne Irving in Celebration of Black History Month. Dionne Irving presents The Islands: Stories, her debut short story collection. * In collaboration with Paragraphe Bookstore. 2:00-3:00PM Click here for the Zoom Link

LaSalle D&D 50+ Centre‘s Black History Month Extravaganza (Community celebration 55+, interdisciplinary) – featuring the Montreal Steppers, Traditional Steel Drum, Poetry, and Caribbean delicacies to enjoy! 8700 Hardy, LaSalle, H8N 2P5
Click here to learn more

For an extensive list of programming in both French and English in Montreal and the province, click here to consult the Mois de l’histoire des noires calendar.

To share your events or resources, please contact communications@quebec-elan.org

Land Acknowledgement

ELAN is an official minority language organization within a country that recognizes two languages as official. ELAN is located in Tiohtià:ke, the original name for Montreal in Kanien’kéha, the language of the Mohawk—also known as Mooniyang, which is the Anishinaabeg name given to the city by the Algonquin. While we are based in this city, our projects have also taken place in many regions across Quebec.

We acknowledge the colonial origin of English and French in Canada, and recognize that both languages benefit from official status throughout the land. The province that we know as Quebec is an amalgamation of the traditional territories of the Innu and Inuit nations, Algonquian nations, as well as the Mohawk nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Kanien’kéha and Anishinaabemowin are but two of the original languages of this province; Atikamekw, Cree, Inuktitut, and Innu-aimun are also among the many Indigenous languages spoken across Quebec as majority languages, all well before French and English.

ELAN acknowledges the important work being done by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to revive the traditional languages of these territories, and their advocacy for the official status of Indigenous languages.