Did you sleep through history class? Never fear — this month there’s a lot that you can catch up on, particularly in commemoration of Black History Month. Prepare to explore the stories you thought you knew alongside the ones you were never told through books, movies, and coins. 

Your first stop should be A Different Booklist (ADBCC) at 779 Bathurst St. to pick up “literary gems from Canada’s cultural mosaic” that will keep you reading until next this time next year. Unfortunately, you will have to order these online, but fortunately, finding the perfect books you didn’t know you were looking for will be easy because the online store has carefully curated categories such as: juvenile, pandemic-related, Black feminist, gender, Black History month 2022, and more. 

While exploring the site before placing your order, be sure to register to attend one of the upcoming events hosted by the bookstore and cultural hub. There’s sure to be a fabulous lineup for March, April, and May.

Next, if you do not yet have a Hot Docs account, you will get one. You’ll make some popcorn and settle in to explore The Black Light Series: A Celebration of Canadian Filmmakers. Maybe you already know John Ware’s story, but filmmaker Cheryl Foggo seeks to set his story free in John Ware Reclaimed. Maybe, you got caught up in Olympic fever this month, and need to keep the excitement rolling. You’ll find it in Charles Officer’s film, Mighty Jerome. Maybe, you feel like digging into family history. In that case, you’ll want to watch Finding Sally, about filmmaker Tamara Dawlit’s search for her long-lost Aunt; or Hardwood, by Hubert Davis, which explores his father – Harlem Globe Trotter Mel Davis – and the impact of his choices on the family.

And finally, make your celebration of Black history (Canadian history) a life long commitment by considering the Royal Canadian Mint’s coin commemorating the Underground Railroad, released February 1. The image on the coin was designed by Toronto artist Kwame Delfish.

—Meribeth Deen/Gleaner News