Maestro Fresh Wes plays black history event

The Museum of Dufferin (MoD), along with community leader Alethia O’Hara-Stephenson of the Dufferin County Canadian Black Association (DCCBA), are holding a live in-person event to celebrate Black Perseverance and Resilience for 2023 Black History Month.

The keynote speaker is Natasha Henry-Dixon, an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University.

The 2018 Vanier Scholar is researching the enslavement of African people in early Ontario. Henry-Dixon is the president of the Ontario Black History Society. Her publications include Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), Talking about Freedom: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (2012), several youth-focused titles, and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history.

Through various professional, academic, and community roles, her work is grounded in her commitment to research, collect, preserve, and disseminate the histories of Black Canadians.

The event features a musical performance by the ‘Godfather of Canadian Hip Hop’ Maestro Fresh Wes, author and TV Host (Maestro Chef Wes on Bell). Local artist Richie C will also perform. In the early 2000s, Richie released his first Single “Hard to be Away” which became a popular hit on Reggae Radio across Canada, the USA and the UK.

There will be presentations from the Black Chapter of Centre Dufferin District High School and students from Streams Hub.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the Museum of Dufferin (MoD), and the Dufferin County Canadian Black Association (DCCBA) to showcase how our Black community has evolved over the years through perseverance and resilience.

The event will take place at Grace Tipling Hall, 203 Main St E, Shelburne, on Saturday, Feb. 25, with doors opening at 6 p.m. 160 free tickets are available with a maximum of four per order on the MoD’s Eventbrite page at: https:// bit.ly/3CUEJkt starting Jan. 27.