Dr. Shadd exhibit at the Melfort and District Museum (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW Staff)

By Ben Tompkins

African-Canadian History Month

African-Canadian history in the northeast

Feb 13, 2023 | 4:00 PM

February has been proclaimed as African-Canadian/Black History Month, in Saskatchewan.

This was done in ‘honour and recognition of the legacy of Black Canadians across the province and the rest of Canada.’

Because of this, the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum (SACHM) has been holding events since Feb. 1, with celebrations concluding at the Government House on Feb. 25.

During that time, Melfort is set to host a presentation on one of their own prominent African Canadians, Dr. Alfred Schmitz Shadd.

Dr. Adeyemi Laosebikan (Dr. Yemi), is a current prominent African-Canadian in Melfort, who works as a physician at the local hospital, and is set to appear in Regina on behalf of Dr. Shadd, later this month.

Award winner

Melfort Senior Public Health Inspector receives recognition

14h ago

Preliminary hearings set

Preliminary hearing dates set for two local murder cases

15h ago

BDO Debt Solutions

Addressing the Rising Cost of Living in Saskatchewan: A Guide for Residents Facing Financial Pressure

15h ago

“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to just relive a bit about what we know of Dr. Shad, who, as a young man was courageous enough to brave the barriers and the boundaries of that time,” Dr. Yemi said.

“Looking at all that he was able to achieve in the short space of time that he had, it’s just mind-blowing and very encouraging, for me as an individual, and I believe that it will be for others as well.”

Dr. Shadd is referred to as “Saskatchewan’s great pioneer Black doctor,” by the Melfort and District Museum, where an exhibit in his name is on display.

“His story is that of courage and resilience, perseverance and grace, being confident in who he was and what he had to offer. He braved the barriers and the challenges of that time and endeared himself to people around and became a massive influence in the development of Melfort,” Dr. Yemi said.

“His story shows that if given an opportunity to thrive, we can all be at our best to the benefit of the community that we choose to settle in.”

Dr. Shadd even recently had a story written about him, which was shared for Family Literacy Day.

While the book, Li’l Shadd: A Story of Ujima, is a somewhat fictional story, it was based on the settlement of Dr. Shadd himself.

Dr. Yemi told northeastNOW it’s important to continue to learn to become accepting.

“Looking at Dr. Shadd’s experience, then and applying it to now, it’s still a bit surprising to see that we still have institutional barriers to navigate, as people of colour in Canada today. Over the years, this conversation has come back to the forefront, and we’re beginning to see a shift and a change in how we can make a difference in making our community and society more inclusive, and with equitable opportunities for all.”

“History allows us the opportunity to learn from the past, what has worked well, and what has not worked well so that we can build a better future for ourselves and our children to come. If we are able to support everyone in our community, irrespective of race, creed, gender, colour, and all these things, we will get the best out of our common humanity, and his life is a document for all of us to refer to and learn from.”

This year is the 19th Anniversary of SACHM, as they continue to provide ‘an opportunity to learn more about the many accomplishments and contributions made by persons of African-Canadian heritage in our province.’

“We’ll continue to work together to make the Canadian multicultural experience a reality and an inclusive one,” Dr. Yemi added in a final statement.

–

Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8