Black History Month is officially being recognized in the Town of Drayton Valley.
Drayton Valley town council’s Feb. 9 meeting opened with Mayor Nancy Dodds making the official proclamation.
The proclamation states that, “Black History Month is an important reminder of the struggles and achievements of African-Canadians and their role in Canada’s history. The Town of Drayton Valley acknowledges these contributions and reaffirms its ongoing commitment to building awareness and an inclusive society.”
After making the proclamation, Dodds took a moment to offer her own thoughts on the month.
“It is important to remind everybody that this is a time to be celebrating, and to be listening to the stories and experiences and learning about the history of Black History Month,” said Dodds.
Dodds also revealed that town council had reached out to the Breton Museum to see if a representative could come to the Feb. 9 council meeting to educate council on local Black history, but no one was available. Dodds hopes they will be able to make it at a later date.
Breton, just 49 km south of Drayton Valley, is one of Alberta’s historical African American settlements.
In the early 1900s, many African Americans took advantage of Canada’s immigration policies to move to Canada and escape the USA’s growing segregationist laws, more commonly known as Jim Crow laws.
Other settlements in Alberta include Campsie, which is west of Barrhead, Wildwood, which is east of Edson, and Amber Valley, which is east of Athabasca.
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