Ontario Black History Society

The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) is a registered Canadian charity and Provincial Heritage Organization founded in 1978. Our main focus is to promote Black history and heritage in a Canadian and international context to strengthen Canadian society. We achieve this through education, research, publication, and the collection of historical material. The OBHS is responsible for initiating the celebration of February as Black History Month in Canada, starting with the City of Toronto in 1979 and later expanding to the Province of Ontario and the entire country. We are supported by the Ontario Ministry of Culture, sponsors, and members. We also played a role in the recognition of August 1st as Emancipation Day in Ontario and are working towards national recognition. Our ongoing programs and activities include the OBHS Black International Film Festival, the official OBHS Black History Month poster, the OBHS Brunch, public education through presentations and speeches, oral history preservation, publication of the "Ontario Black History News" newsletter, maintaining a small library, research, encouraging youth involvement, creating exhibits, and maintaining our website. The OBHS aims to foster public interest and encourage the study of Black history through the recognition, preservation, and promotion of the contributions of Black peoples. We also sponsor and support educational conferences and exhibits in the field and advocate for the inclusion of Black history material in school curricula.