To this day, society has made little progress concerning equity for people of African American Western Canadian heritage. Edmonton was home to many African American immigrants who chose not to remain on their purchased homestead and settled in the city. It was often either overtly or covertly pointed out to Black citizens that we were not wanted in Western Canada. In 2018, we completed an oral history project supported by the Alberta Human Rights Commission that documented the historical and contemporary experiences of Black Alberta settlers with a focus on racism, marginalization and discrimination. Establishing the African Canadian Roots Cultural/Heritage Centre and Museum is most paramount to share the roots of the African diaspora in Western Canada, and is a step forward to reconciliation for our people.

Source: CBC News February 12, 2021 12:00 UTC