WHEREAS Brantford is culturally diverse, and is home to many people and communities; and
WHEREAS the Black community has been a fundamental part of Brantford’s history since at least the 1800s, and;
WHEREAS in the first half of the 1800's, Brantford’s East Ward neighbourhood became home to many freedom seeking individuals and families. The Drake Memorial Church located on Murray St. was the hub for these families to share, learn and grow; and
WHEREAS in 1885 Brantford resident and Brantford Collegiate student Blanche Williams became the first Black woman admitted to fully participate in undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto; and
WHEREAS in 1903 Brantford’s Black community hosted an annual Emancipation Day Celebrations in Mohawk Park to celebrate the British Empire’s abolition of slavery. For the first time, this event brought thousands of tourists to Brantford. These celebrations have been reimagined in recent years by local Black businesses, athletes and organizers bringing hundreds of families to Mohawk Park to mark the occasion; and
WHEREAS these stories remind us of the ways the Black community has for many generations contributed to the cultural, economic, political and social development of the City of Brantford; and
WHEREAS the City of Brantford wishes to join with all citizens in honouring the rich histories of Black individuals and Black-led businesses, organizations, groups, and communities in Brantford; and
WHEREAS the City of Brantford recognizes the past, present, and future contributions of our Black community; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Council of the Corporation of the City of Brantford HEREBY PROCLAIMS the month of February 2025 as Black History Month.