The federal government’s unveiling of this year’s Black History Month theme on Wednesday in Cherry Brook, N.S., held special significance for Olive Phillips, the president of the Jamaican Cultural Association of Nova Scotia. Phillips expressed her excitement over the government’s choice to reveal the 2026 theme in Cherry Brook, one of the 52 historic Black communities in the province. She emphasized the importance of federal recognition during the event at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.
Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller announced that this year’s theme will commemorate 30 years of Black History Month by honoring the legacy and contributions of Black Canadians throughout history, from those who helped shape the country to those influencing its future. Additionally, Miller disclosed over $280,000 in funding for nine projects in Atlantic Canada, including three in Nova Scotia, to showcase Black History Month activities starting on Feb. 1.
Miller highlighted the celebration of the enduring contributions of Black Canadians to the nation, with many of these impactful stories originating from Nova Scotia. Russell Grosse, the CEO of the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, described the minister’s presentation at the center as a powerful acknowledgment of the longstanding African Nova Scotia Black communities that form the bedrock of the Black experience in Canada.
Attendees at the event also paid tribute to Geraldine Browning and Sen. Donald Oliver, two respected African Nova Scotian leaders who recently passed away. Browning, a founding member of the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, and Oliver, the first Black man appointed to Canada’s Senate, were lauded for their efforts to ensure that Black history is not sidelined but rather integrated into the fabric of Canadian history.
Grosse emphasized the significant contributions of Browning and Oliver in preserving and promoting Black history, underscoring the importance of acknowledging and discussing Black history within the Canadian narrative.