On Feb. 7, the UNB Art Centre will host the grand opening of Rediscovering the Roots of Black New Brunswickers, an exhibition that dives into black heritage in the province.
The exhibit celebrates Black History Month and shines a light on notable Black New Brunswickers who have strived for freedom and equality in a world of prejudice and discrimination.
Running for five years now, 18 new faces have been added to the exhibit curated by Marie Maltais, the Art Centre director.
“When I first started these projects, I looked around and there was not much being done here in Fredericton or at the university so it was important, as an exhibition centre, to be culturally aware and to be part of the conversation that’s going on,” said Maltais.
Along with the banners in the art centre, flags with the exhibit recipients’ faces on them are displayed downtown between Queen and King Street as well as Westmoreland and Regent Street.
The project began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Maltais creating banners for the street when the general public was no longer able to visit the art gallery. However, as the gallery accepted visitors again, Maltais sent the banners to be hung up.
Having already worked with historian Mary Louise McCarthy for over a decade on Black History Month programming, Maltais brought McCarthy and genealogist Jennifer Dow to the project as consultants.
Both consultants advised Maltais on who should be recognized, aspiring to add at least ten new faces each year, while also vetting the accuracy of any information that was set to be printed.
“Every year I learn more [and] people who come to the exhibition learn more about how strong the Black community is here and how deep its roots go,” said Maltais.
McCarthy also shared her experience walking through the exhibit for the first time.
“I was gobsmacked because I was not aware of the size of the posters that were hanging in the galleries and I just thought, ‘Wow. You know, this project has chutzpah. It has energy’… It’s very comforting to know that our Black bodies matter and our ancestors mattered,” said McCarthy.
Dow’s mother was a founding member of the New Brunswick Black History Society. When she got sick, Dow felt it was important to step up and ensure this history was preserved.
Dow comes from a biracial family and had the chance to learn about her ancestors’ history from her mom and dad’s side of the family.
She said “It was very empowering” to see the Black side of her family displayed in an exhibit.
“These people on these banners are my community, it’s my family. They are somebody in this community. They mean a lot and their stories mean a lot,” said Dow.
Dow’s favourite part of the exhibit was the variety and diversity of the people featured – from Carol Thompson, one of the first Black police officers in New Brunswick, to Edith Henry, who recovered from childhood polio and became a disability rights advocate.
“One of the goals is to have a diverse selection to show that the Black community is not a monolith,” she said. “We came at different times from different places and we’ve done different things … to the younger generation it shows that anything is possible because they’re able to see themselves reflected in these individuals that we are displaying and putting their stories out there.”
For last year’s conference for racialized youth between the ages of 15 and 17, McCarthy suggested the STU Diversity and Anti-Racism Office hang some exhibit posters.
McCarthy said the posters would reassure students who were dealing with racism or bullying.
“It would be something for them to look at and to think about those individuals who lived before them and look at what they have achieved,” she said.
Now, the team is organizing tours for schools across the province.
When McCarthy was asked what she hoped for people to take away, she said, “I want people to realize that our culture and our history should not be forgotten and that our history is part of New Brunswick history and part of Canadian history.”
McCarthy hopes that locals who visit the exhibition leave with a sense of unity, realizing that celebrating each other uplifts the community.
Dow also hopes that attendees recognize all the “incredible things” Black New Brunswickers have accomplished.
After the grand opening, the exhibit will remain on display until Feb. 28.
