Black History
Explore Black history and culture
Toronto Public Library honours Black History year round with programs, reading lists and podcast episodes that shine a spotlight on Black history and culture.
Upcoming events
Join us for events hosted at different branches across the city – from documentary screenings to panel discussions, and community art projects to storytimes. Find an event near you.
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Food Sovereignty in Canada: A Black Farmer's Perspective
Thursday, February 22 | 6 pm | Toronto Reference Library
Atiba Farm’s Joe Thomas explores how food sovereignty holds immense significance as it intersects with racial justice, cultural heritage and community empowerment.
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Valerie Jerome: Races
Monday, February 26 | 7 pm | North York Central Library
Former Olympian, educator and political activist Valerie Jerome discusses her courageous and challenging new family memoir Races: The Trials and Triumphs of Canada's Fastest Family.
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Before the 6ix: Michie Mee
Tuesday, February 27 | 7pm | Toronto Reference Library
Before the 6ix hosts Del Cowie and DJ Agile interview hip-hop star Michie Mee and celebrate her cultural and musical legacy. By cultivating relationships with superstars, proving herself in freestyle battles and proudly drawing on her Jamaican heritage, Michie has become an indelible influence in the Toronto hip-hop scene.
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Black Boys Like Me: Confrontations with Race, Identity, and Belonging
Wednesday, February 28 | 6:30 pm | Online
Educator and writer Matthew R. Morris shares candidly about the intersection of race, Black masculinity, hip-hop culture and education from his new book, Black Boys Like Me. In conversation with award-winning writer Chelene Knight.
Black voices
Watch recordings of live events featuring preeminent Black authors, scholars, thinkers and performers.
Choose from replays of past Live & Online events on Crowdcast (below), and explore our Black voices playlist on YouTube.
Watch replays of past programs in our Black History series
Podcasts
Listen to these featured episodes, and discover more captivating conversations and archived recordings from our Live Mic and Writers Off the Page podcast series.
- Gwendolyn Brooks: Poems That (Don't) Cough Lightly
- Saeed Jones: How We Fight for Our Lives
- Austin Clarke: Sometimes, A Motherless Child
- Gloria Naylor: Mama Day
Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection
The Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection features over 19,000 books, DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines for adults, children and teens. Materials focus on the Black and Caribbean historical and cultural experience, with a special emphasis on Canadian content.
Our Black history image
This collage of Dr. Rita Cox was created to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection. Staff from the Maria A. Shchuka branch used images of book covers to design this imaginative homage to the collection's namesake.
Support Heritage Collections
Help grow the Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection by donating to the Rita Cox Endowment Fund. Donate today at Toronto Public Library Foundation or 416-393-7123.