Toronto is famous for its eclectic racial fabric, diverse population, and its vibrant Black communities who play a pivotal role in shaping the city, its values and institutions.
However, Black peoples’ contributions to society are often overlooked and underrepresented, that’s why a Toronto museum has created an exhibit spotlighting the enduring presence and influence of Black Canadians.
Black Diasporas Tkaronto-Toronto, is a poignant exhibit at Museum of Toronto, presenting deeply personal stories and archival materials including footage, art and spoken recollections by over 500 Black Canadians.
Each account offers snippets into the lives of those who have shaped everything from Toronto’s neighbourhoods to its educational institutions.
Through its collection of films and archival footage as well as digitized maps, AI generated art overlaid with voiceovers, and comprehensive timelines of the growth and dispersion of the Black diaspora, the exhibit incorporates interactive and traditional elements to build a comprehensive overview of Black Canadian history.
It also foregrounds Black Canadians who have contributed to the city, from over 20 different countries across the globe.
From Caribbean migrants to African refugees, the exhibit paints a colourful portrait of how different communities found and made Toronto home, while casting light on the challenges they overcame along the way.
The exhibit offers plenty of space for reflection and connection; sprawling couches and dimly lit walkways offer guests the opportunity to sit with the stories they hear and to consider the materials at their disposal.
In addition to documenting the past, Black Diasporas invites visitors to contribute to the conversation about Toronto’s Black history.
Guests are encouraged to write down their origins, memories, and experiences by adding notes to a growing wall of personal anecdotes; they can also add a pin to a map to identify their heritage.
Black Diasporas is far more than just an exhibition, it is a profound celebration of the enduring presence of Black Torontonians in Toronto, a tribute to their trials and tribulations, individuality and intersectionality, but most importantly, an invitation to share in the legacy they have created.
The exhibit is open to the public until Feb. 22.
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