Black History Month 2023

Signed proclamation (524 KB)

Join us in marking Black History Month 2023. Black History Month provides us with the opportunity to celebrate and learn about the many achievements, investments, and contributions of Vancouver’s Black and African diasporic communities, even while these communities have endured historical and continuing inequality, oppression, and erasure.

Watch the reading and presentation of the Black History Month proclamation in Council chambers

This Black History Month, we are:

Honoring Black trailblazers from Vancouver
Supporting Canada Post’s 2023 Black History Month stamp

It is not sufficient to simply observe Black History Month and recognize the contributions of leaders from the Black and African Diaspora community. We must make a consistent effort to acknowledge, empower, and value the perspectives and experiences of all individuals in the Black community every day.

The City of Vancouver recognizes that it has played a role in perpetuating discrimination against Black and African diaspora communities and is committed to addressing anti-Black racism in all its forms. We are actively working to address the recommendations made by the community and make necessary changes to combat systemic racism. Find out more about the steps we have taken in advancing reconciliation, anti-racism, and equity actions.

Honouring Black trailblazers from Vancouver

Barbara Howard

Barbara Howard competing in track and field. Photo Credit: BC Sports Hall of Fame

A pioneering figure in Canadian sports and education, she was the first black woman to represent Canada in an international competition.

Throughout her 40-year teaching career, Barbara inspired countless students and worked to promote equity and inclusivity in the classroom. Her contributions to both sports and education were recognized throughout her life and posthumously.

We renamed the Cambie Street Plaza in her honor to commemorate her legacy as a pioneer in Canadian sports and education, inspiring future generations.

Biography

Born and raised in Vancouver, she grew up in the Grandview neighborhood and attended Laura Secord Elementary School and Britannia High School. During her high school years, her remarkable speed first came to light, and in 1938 she was a member of the Canadian Track Team, representing Canada at the British Empire Games in Sydney, Australia.

In 1959, Barbara graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Education degree. She began her teaching career at Hastings, Henry Hudson, Lord Strathcona, and Trafalgar elementary schools. Throughout her 40-year teaching career, Barbara inspired countless students and worked to promote equity and inclusivity in the classroom.

Barbara's achievements as an athlete were equally impressive. She was the first black woman to represent Canada in an international competition, and her selection to the Canadian track team in 1938 was a significant milestone for women's sports and visible minorities in Canada.

In 2010, she received a Remarkable Woman Award from the Vancouver Park Board for "her passionate dedication to inspiring others to make a positive difference in their community." In 2012, she was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame; in 2013, she received the Queen Elizabeth II, Diamond Jubilee Medal; in 2015, she was named to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. In September 2018, The City of Vancouver renamed the Cambie Street Plaza, located south of the Cambie Street Bridge and north of the east ramp, to Barbara Howard Plaza in her honor.

Barbara Howard's legacy as a pioneer in Canadian sports and education inspires future generations. Her contributions to sports and education were remarkable, and we will never forget the positive difference she made in her community.

Emery Barnes

Emery Barnes, first Black MLA in British Columbia

A trailblazer in politics and a champion for the Black community in Vancouver. He was the first Black member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, representing the double-member riding of Vancouver Centre. Throughout his career, Barnes advocated for marginalized communities, emphasizing human rights, and world peace.

He dedicated his life to serving others, and his legacy inspires future generations. The City of Vancouver established a park in Barnes' memory to commemorate his contributions to the city and recognize his impact on the Black community in Vancouver.

Biography

Born in New Orleans in 1929, Barnes moved to Oregon at the age of 12, where he would excel in sports such as football, basketball, and track, and field, including being an alternate high jump member of the 1952 US Olympic Track and Field team. He played professional football briefly in 1956 for the Green Bay Packers and joined the BC Lions in 1957. He was also inducted into the Oregon State Sports Hall of Fame and the Portland, Oregon Interscholastic Sports Hall of Fame.

After immigrating to Canada in 1957, Barnes studied at the University of British Columbia, where he received a Bachelor of Social Work. In 1972, he was elected as the first Black member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

Throughout his career, Barnes advocated for marginalized communities, emphasizing human rights, and world peace. In addition, he was active in developing awareness of Black history in British Columbia and furthering the principles of multiculturalism, particularly in the public sector.

One notable achievement as an MLA was in 1994 when he became the first Speaker in British Columbia to be elected through a secret ballot of the MLAs. His colleagues praised him for his integrity, honor, and wisdom.

His contributions to the Black community in Vancouver and British Columbia were undeniable, and his legacy inspires future generations. In 2003, the City of Vancouver established a park in Barnes' memory at 1100 Seymour Street in his honour to commemorate his contributions to the city and recognize his impact on the Black community in Vancouver. Barnes dedicated his life to serving others and he will continue to be an inspiration to us all.

Vie Moore

Vie Moore at Vie's Chicken and Steak House

A pioneering figure in the Vancouver community known for her role in operating the popular Southern-style restaurant, Vie's Chicken and Steak House, in the historically Black neighborhood of Hogan's Alley. The restaurant was a cultural hub, attracting locals and touring entertainers such as Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, Louis Armstrong, and Jimi Hendrix, and served as a place for people from all walks of life to gather, socialize, and share stories.

In honor of her contributions, the City of Vancouver placed a commemorative plaque to commemorate her impact on the cultural richness and importance of Hogan's Alley neighborhood.

Biography

Vie Moore came from a pioneering B.C. family, descendants of free Black people from California. These settlers came to Vancouver Island in 1858 for freedom and political enfranchisement and were welcomed by Governor James Douglas, the son of a Scottish father and a free West Indian mother. This little-known aspect of B.C. history reflects the diverse backgrounds and cultures that have shaped the province and the contributions of Black Canadians in developing the country. Vie's Chicken and Steak House was not just a restaurant, but it was an important cultural and community institution.

The restaurant was operated by Vie and Bob Moore and was open late into the night. It was a popular spot for locals and touring entertainers such as Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, Louis Armstrong, and Jimi Hendrix, whose mother was a cook.

Vie's Chicken and Steak House was known for its simple menu of just chicken and steak, cooked to perfection by Vie, who was famous for never burning a steak. The steaks were pan-fried in huge cast iron frying pans on a black, oil-fired stove and were served with simple accompaniments such as fresh biscuits, salad, and fries. The restaurant also had a colorful decor with yellow and blue walls, a red ceiling, and a jukebox in the corner.

After the death of Vie in 1975, her daughter Adelene Ellen Alexander Clark took over the restaurant until it closed in 1979. In honor of the restaurant's legacy, The City of Vancouver placed a commemorative plaque at 209 Union street. Today, it serves as a reminder of the cultural richness and importance of Hogan's Alley neighborhood and the Moore's family contribution.

Learn more

Black history in Vancouver

BC has a rich Black history dating back to Canada’s colonial origins. In 1858, nearly 800 free Black people left the oppressive racial conditions of San Francisco for a new life on Vancouver Island. These pioneers enriched the socio-economic life in their community, overcoming intense discrimination and adversity. From the 1920s to the 1960s, Vancouver’s Black Community clustered in the East End, with its nucleus at a site known as Hogan’s Alley, and became a thriving Black community and cultural hub.

In 1967, the decision to expand the highway system through Vancouver resulted in the expropriation of land and buildings in this area to make way for the construction of the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts, resulting in the loss of homes and businesses. The Black Community was uprooted from this area and an identifiable Black neighbourhood has not re-emerged in Vancouver.

Black History Month was recognized by the Government of Canada in the House of Commons in 1995. The motion was introduced by the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to parliament. Vancouver City Council passed a motion in 2011, designating Black History Month one of its official celebrations. Every February, we celebrate the history, contributions, and culture of Black Canadians.

Canada Post stamps

Issue date: January 29, 2023

This year, Canada Post’s 2023 Black History Month stamp features Chloe Cooley, who had a profound impact on the history of enslavement in Canada.

Canada Post's article about Chloe Cooley
Canada Post's tribute video to Chloe Cooley

Black History Month 2023