St. James Lutheran Church in St. Jacobs

 Visit us online at https://www.hymntofreedom.ca for direct access tot he images and content.

Black History Month was introduced in 1995 to promote Canadian Black history which was, and still is, unknown. This video recognizes and celebrates some of the many people whose contributions have made Canada the great country that it is. It is accompanied by the music, Hymn to Freedom, a composition by Oscar Peterson , the Black Canadian jazz pianist and composer.  This new version of Hymn to Freedom was launched at a concert in Waterloo, on March 22, 2019. Celine Peterson, Oliver Jones, Jean Augustine and Carl James spoke at the event. 

The video which accompanies it includes images and visuals which span the 500+ years of Black history in Canada, from Mathieu DaCosta to the present time. Some of the featured events and people are the Underground Railroad, Viola Desmond, Hugh Burnett, Lincoln Alexander and Michaelle Jean, This will be an introduction for viewers to explore the significant contributions of the Black community to Canadian history.    

Lauris DaCosta, (photo center) is the creator and co-ordinator of the Hymn to Freedom project. The Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre is a proud partner along with other community organizations - the Congress of Black Women (Marcia Smellie photo right), Waterloo Chapter; the Canadian Caribbean Association of Waterloo Region (Liz Haddad photo left); the Guelph Black Heritage Society; and Bring on the Sunshine.  

 'Hymn to Freedom" by Oscar Peterson, is published by Tomi Music Company (SOCAN)/ Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada (SOCAN) and recorded and presented here under license from them.  Hymn to Freedom was performed at First United Church, Waterloo by Aileen Bennett-Heath, Venantius Dorleon and the Choir of the Laurier Centre for Music in the Community under the direction of Dr. Lee Willingham and the Waterloo Region Mass Choir under the direction of Darren Hamilton with Gerima Harvey.  

Images used with permission of: Africville Museum | Alamy | University of Toronto Mississauga | Acadia University | Esther Clark Wright Archives | Atlantic Baptist Archives | Amherstburg Freedom Museum | Archives de la Ville de Montreal | Black in Canada | Buxton National Historic Site and Museum | Buzz Magazine | Calgary University Archives & Special Collections | Dalhousie University | Nathan Baker | Ontario Black History Society | Renison University College | Torstar Syndication Services | Harold Wright | Ferguson Jenkins | Hamilton Public Library | Lawrence Hill |  Nova Scotia Archives | Mrs. Kelly Peterson | Pride Magazine | Shadow Act  | The Fuzzy Gnome | Tim Walker | Waterloo University Archives | Whole Note | Canada Post