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EDITORIAL: Take time to ask questions during Black History Month

Racism still lurks even in Canadian society
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Charles Alexander and his wife, Nancy, were some of the first Black pioneers to come to B.C. in 1858. Together they had 12 children and helped build Victoria through carpentry and farming. (City of Victoria Archives)

In Canada, we pride ourselves in not being a part of the rampant racist attitudes increasingly displayed south of the border.

We can be a bit smug about our culture of acceptance and inclusion of minorities, but itB次元官网网址檚 a dangerous assumption. Just this week Black Press wrote about a Victoria resident looking into buying a property in Esquimalt, who was shocked to find a .

Anna King, who vied for a seat on Victoria city council in the 2018 municipal election, posted a photo to Twitter Tuesday showing a land title clause that forbade East Indian or Asiatic people from occupying the property.

B次元官网网址淚 was shocked. It made me feel very unwelcome and reminded me of the trials and discrimination my people faced and continue to face,B次元官网网址 King said.

While racist actions donB次元官网网址檛 often hit mainstream media here, they do still occur with some regularity.

During Black History Month (February), we would do well to recall that. While Victorians were generally accepting of the B次元官网网址淏lack MigrationB次元官网网址 of 1858, there was racism then as well. When the steamship Commodore arrived that spring and Bishop Edward Cridge welcomed some of the migrants into his church, he faced backlash.

This month we shared the story of the Alexander family. Among the first Black pioneers in B.C., had 12 children and owned farmland in Central Saanich and businesses in Victoria that grew to be prosperous. Nancy helped form the Lakehill WomenB次元官网网址檚 Institute and was very active in the church community.

Racism is a complex issue and a single cure for the fear, ignorance and hatred embodied in that term has yet to be found.

DonB次元官网网址檛 be afraid to ask questions. Make Black History Month a time to start to learn about other cultures and people, and extend your knowledge about the broad tapestry that is our regionB次元官网网址檚 population.

The BC Black History Awareness Society () hosts a number of events this month and year-round to help us do just that.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 no shame in not knowing, but there is in letting ignorance breed discrimination.


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