"Our club is an open club"

The African Caribbean Canadian Association of Northern Ontario (ACCANO) is celebrating Black History Month with an evening of food, music, dance and a fashion show.

"Our Canadian Story: Black History of Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma Region" will be held from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, February 27 at The Grand Gardens at 68 Dennis Street.

There will be door prizes and a cash bar.

Keynote speaker will be the Sault's Dave Mornix.

Speaking to SooToday, Mornix emphasized Black History Month, the dinner event, and membership in ACCANO, is for everyone.

"Our club is an open club."

"It's very important for us to be inclusive, it's one of the gems about what we do and one of the reasons for us to survive and grow the way we have," Mornix said.

ACCANO was formed four years ago.

Mornix said the club started off with eight people, and now consists of about 75 members.

"I want to highlight the significant contribution people of African descent have made to our community, people like David Nanang (Canadian Forest Service director general), doctors, pilots and the students who are making a significant difference," said Mornix, giving a hint as to what his keynote address will be about.

"I want to highlight them as role models for young people."

Mornix, who hails from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, has recently graduated from Algoma University with a degree in sociology.

"For us, Black History Month is an opportunity to be able to celebrate the achievements and the contributions we have made to the communities we live in," said Jane Omollo, who is a founding member and President of ACCANO.

Omollo, a native of Kenya, is Sault Community Career Centre’s newcomer settlement supervisor.

"The black population in the Sault and Algoma region is growing and we decided why don't we come together as a group to share our history and experiences together?"

The federal government officially recognized February as Black History Month in 1995.

Black History Month aims to bring black people together from different backgrounds, whether from Africa, the Caribbean, North America or other parts of the world, to celebrate. 

"We began celebrating on a small basis, and we have developed great partnerships over the years with Sault College, Sault Community Career Centre and Algoma University, and we have grown," Omollo said.

With the growth of the group, Omollo said this year presents a good opportunity to celebrate a Black History Month event outside the college or the university.

Like Mornix, Omollo emphasized Black History Month, the February 27 dinner event and ACCANO, is open to everyone.

"It's educational for everybody (black and non-black)…we can all contribute to it, you'd be amazed to see it is a cultural celebration, bringing everybody to be a part of it."

"We welcome everybody," Omollo said.

Notable black people in Canadian history include Lincoln Alexander, the first black MP and first black Ontario Lieutenant Governor, sprinter Donovan Bailey, Anne Clare Cools, the first black female Canadian Senator, baseball pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, Willie O'Ree, the first black NHL player, and Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis, the first black police chief in Canada.

Tickets for the ACCANO Black History Month 2016 Dinner Celebration are $30 for adults, $25 for students and seniors.

Tickets are available online or by phone (call Jane at 705-759-0909, Dave at 705-975-4367, Ife at 705-975-7367 or Gilbert at 705-542-7007).