Other Events
Black Celebration Night at the Grand Theatre
Jan. 30, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, London ON
You’re invited! Come watch a 'genuinely touching' play called Primary Trust at the Grand Theatre that has been praised as a 'thoughtful exploration of personal growth.' After the show, enjoy a reception with tasty snacks provided by Amazing Bakery and an exclusive artist chat. Let’s show these amazing artists some London hospitality and celebrate Black excellence on stage and off.
In partnership with London AfroCentric Arts Association (LACA) and London Black Heritage Council (LBHC), join us for a reception and artist talk after the show! The artist talk will be hosted by Vanessa Spence (Assistant Director) with special guests Durae McFarlane (Kenneth), Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah (Corrina), and Peter N. Bailey (Bert).
Learn more about the play at www.grandtheatre.com/event/primary-trust.
Black Alumni Networking Social - Western Alumni
Feb. 4, 6 to 8 p.m., Goodmans LLP, Bay Adelaide Centre - West Tower 333 Bay St., Suite 3400, Toronto, ON
Join us for an evening filled with Western connections and inspiring conversations. Our host will be Randy McAuley, BA’08, BHSc’12, JD’15, Partner, Goodmans LLP. Guests will enjoy a musical performance by Caleb Ajao, BSc'20 from the hit Mirvish musical, We Will Rock You.
Alumni Champions — to meet and greet!
Evelyn Asiedu, BSc'13, Manager, Research and Policy, Information and Communications Technology Council
Chloe McKenzie, BA'11, Senior Vice-President, People & Culture, Salt XC
David Mewa, BA'02, Television Showrunner and Director
Angela Salmon, BA'01, Vice-President, HR Risk Governance & Controls, Royal Bank of Canada
Lisa Simone Richards, BA'06, Creator, Female Founders Journal
Erica Wilkinson, MES'23, Sustainability Coordinator, Toronto Metropolitan University
More alumni champions will be added as they are confirmed.
Don't miss this opportunity to meet fellow alumni and grow your professional and personal network.
Registration is $20/person (includes a beverage and canapés) with a special discounted rate of $15 for recent grads (classes of 2021-25).
Please register by Monday, February 2, 2026.
Using the Archival Record to Write Canada and the Blackface Atlantic – Department of History, Research Seminar Series
Feb. 5, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Location TBA
Cheryl Thompson’s latest book, Canada and the Blackface Atlantic: Performing Slavery, Conflict, and Freedom, 1812–1897 begins with the conflicts that shaped North America – the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. From there, it unmasks when and how “Jim Crow” became an Atlantic world sensation, which set the stage for blackface to expand. Finally, it considers how Black acts reimagined the parameters of their own freedom through choral singing.
This talk will discuss Canada and the Blackface Atlantic as an archival study. Dr. Thompson will explain how she parsed through the academic corpus in the US and UK which is much more extensive than in Canada, and the strategies that were used to keep the historical narrative focused on Canada’s blackface history. This talk will use examples drawn from archives in North America, with a focus on London, Ontario.
Black History Month Opening Ceremony - London Black Heritage Council and Museum London
Feb. 7, 1 to 4 p.m., Centre at the Forks, Museum London
Connect with community groups, explore our latest exhibitions, and come together through music, dance, and conversation. This special afternoon, presented in partnership with the London Black Heritage Council, offers an opportunity to reflect, learn, and celebrate the enduring contributions and stories of London’s vibrant Black history and community.
This year’s theme, Empowered Voices, Endless Possibilities: 200 Years of Living History, anchors the program, which will feature speakers Arielle Tucker, Carl Cadogan, Mayor Josh Morgan, MP Arielle Kayabaga, and a keynote address from Dr. Nicole Kaniki, alongside live performances by Helen Hibbert, Nadine Philips, Andrea Miller, Ibukun Kolapo, Aqil Melchoir and Joshua Williams. Following the program, attendees are invited to meet TD Curator of Collections, Zahra McDoom, among other community groups throughout our Atrium and Vault 421 spaces. McDoom, curator of Black Lives Lived Here: London Family Photos, 1910s-1960s, will share insights on the exhibition’s development, key themes, and stories.
Black History Month 2026: A Morning with Robyn Maynard - Fanshawe College
Feb. 9, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Canada Life Village Square (Innovation Village), 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd.
This Black History Month event, hosted by the Centre for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, will feature Robyn Maynard, author, activist, and Assistant Professor of Black Feminisms in Canada at the University of Toronto Scarborough. The conversation will centre on Black excellence, lived experience, and collective responsibility within educational spaces, while engaging students, staff, faculty, and community members in reflection and action.
Attendees are invited to submit questions for Robyn Maynard in advance to edievents@FanshaweC.ca by Friday, February 6, for consideration. Please register here to reserve a seat, as seats are limited.
Black History Month 2026 Closing Celebration - London Black Heritage Council and the London Public Library
Feb. 28, 1 to 4:30 p.m., Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas Street, London, ON
Join us for the grand finale of Black History Month, hosted by the London Black Heritage Council and the London Public Library. This event will be a vibrant celebration of Black culture and talent, showcasing an array of performances by Black artists across multiple genres, including dance, spoken word, singing, and more. Following the performances, enjoy a reception featuring delicious cuisine from a local Black-owned restaurant. Don’t miss this inspiring celebration of Black heritage and community as we close out Black History Month in style!
Our Roots in Activism: Finding Agency and Allyship in Histories of Anti-Racist Mobilization in Canada - Huron University
March 4, noon to 1 p.m., Student Commons, Huron University
Join us for an update on the Our Roots in Activism project, a SSHRC-funded Knowledge Synthesis Grant. Researchers Neisa Long and Jayden Wright will share their findings from project work in Bath, Manchester, and London, where they revisited their project questions in a transatlantic context.
The project highlights the value of institutional-community partnerships to expand our collective understanding of Black life, resistance, agency and allyship, and offers comparative case studies in the power of history-as-activism.
The Canada-Africa Academic Collaborations Conference (CAACC)
Feb. 26 to 27, 8:45 a.m., Eastern Time (US and Canada), Virtual Conference
The Africa Institute at Western is pleased to announce it will be hosting its Canada-Africa Academic Collaborations Conference (CAACC) on February 26-27, 2026. The Conference will present collaborative research and other scholarly initiatives between Canada and Africa.
The purpose of the conference is to provide a platform for cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange and collaboration; to promote inclusive research approaches that address gender, disability, and social equity; to influence policy and practice through evidence-based solutions; and to explore innovative tools and partnerships for sustainable development.
