COMMUNITY

Get Involved

Did you Know?

  • The BC Black population is 61,755; of which 9,965 are between the ages of 15 and 24
  • There are about 30 communities across BC with a Black presence
  • Across Canada, the Black populations reported approximately 371 different ethnic or cultural origins.

Source: Statistics Canada for the 2021 census

EVENTS

Upcoming Events & Commemorative Days

Join us for events celebrating Black history, culture, and community across British Columbia.

Commemorative Days

January 21

Lincoln Alexander Day

3rd Monday in January

Martin Luther King Day

February

Black History Month

March 1

Zero Discrimination Day

March 8

International Women’s Day

March 21

Eliminate Racial Discrimination

March 25

Remember the Victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

August 1

Emancipation Day

November 11

Remembrance Day

latest news

"Black and Here Community Centre"

BCBHAS, in partnership with REP Here in Canada will be opening a jointly-operated community centre in downtown Victoria — to be a gathering hub for art, culture, economic development and more. We are working to finalize details and proceed with renovations with an expected opening in the Spring 2026.

MEMBERSHIP

Become a Member

Our members live across BC and beyond — Abbotsford, Duncan, Kelowna, the Kootenays, Langley, Maple Ridge, North Vancouver, Sidney, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, and the United States.

30+

Years of community programming, education, and heritage preservation since 1994

INTIATIVES

Projects

These projects, led by BCBHAS Board and Executive — many with partner organizations — relied on our members and the community.

BC Black Pioneers – Their Industry and Character Influenced the Vision

A bilingual online exhibit featuring 20 short stories, videos, and 80+ archival images about Black Pioneers in BC.

Hope Meets Action: Echoes Thru the Black Continuum

Celebrating Black heritage through art, culture, and community-driven creative expression.

African Ancestry Project

Exploring diverse histories, identities, and experiences of Black people of African ancestry in British Columbia.

Black History Records Research Guide

A comprehensive guide for researchers exploring Black history records in British Columbia archives.

Diversity in Early BlackCommunities

An educational pathway exploring the diversity within early Black settler communities in BC.

Gravesite Restoration at Ross BayCemetery

Restoring and preserving the gravesites of Black pioneers at Victoria’s historic Ross Bay Cemetery.

No. 2 Construction Battalion – Legacy in BC and Beyond

Honouring the legacy of Canada’s only all-Black military battalion from World War I.

1858: Black Routes, Black Roots

Hosted by Maritime Museum of BC, tracing the migration routes of Black settlers to British Columbia.

Publications

Publications

BC Black History Timeline

Black History Records Research Guide

Challenging Racist "British Columbia" 150 Years and Counting

1923: Challenging Racisms Past and Present

Get Involved

Volunteers are the heart of BCBHAS. Whether you can help with events, research, community outreach, or administrative support, there is a place for you.