Remembrance Day 2020

SMT REMEMBERS

On Remembrance Day, we honour the men and women who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict, and peace. More than two million Canadians have served, with many wounded and making the ultimate sacrifice during their war and peacekeeping missions.

Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. It was first referred as "Armistice Day” to commemorate armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m.—on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. The essence of the day is to remember all those who fought and died to defend the rights, privileges and freedoms that we are fortunate to have in Canada today.

remembrance-poster-2020.pdf

Remembrance Day Through an Afrocentric Lens

This year in keeping with TCDSB priorities such as culturally relevant pedagogy and the dismantling of anti-Black racism, the TCDSB and its schools will focus Remembrance Day commemorations on the over two hundred and 35 years of military service by Black Canadians and the significant impact that it has had on the wellbeing of Canada.​

Military service by Black Canadians predates confederation; however, their contributions have been overlooked in Canadian history. Many Black Canadians can trace their family roots to Loyalists who emigrated North in the 1780s after the American Revolutionary War.

Black Canadian soldiers have also contributed to many other significant battles: War of 1812; South African War, (1899-1902); World War l, (1914-1918); World War ll, (1935-1945); Korean War, (1950-1953); Afghanistan War, (2001-2014); as well as numerous large-scale United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world (Veterans Affairs Canada, 2020).

We invite you to share your Remembrance Day initiatives on social media @TCDSB​ using the hashtag #TCDSBRemembers

Classroom Resources

Virtual Museum and Library of Military Service by Black Canadians​

WORLD WAR 1

WORLD WAR 2

KOREA

PRE WORLD WAR 1

PEACEKEEPING

AFGHANISTAN

WOMEN

The Canadian Encyclopedia:

​​Black Volunteers in the First World War​

School Programming: The Legacy Voices Institute ​​​​​​​​​​

In an effort to support schools with this initiative, the Equity Department has partnered with community organization, The Legacy Voices Institute - the o​nly national institute dedicated to the documentation and preservation of Black Canadian military history. Programs via Legacy Voices are available through their executive director Kathy Grant, on a fee for service basis to support schools in the face to face or the virtual format, with resources to support your school’s inquiry into Black Military service in Canada.

For more information, contact Kathy at: 416-655 5959 or Kathy@thelv.org​​​​​​​​​​​