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Rooted Together: A celebration of Black History Month at McMaster
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
McMaster University recently closed out its Black History Month celebrations with Rooted Together: Celebrating Our Collective Legacy, a powerful event that brought together community members for an evening of reflection, inspiration, and celebration.
Held at L.R. Wilson Hall, the event featured Chancellor Nicholas Brathwaite, Jean Augustine, and Keziah Gibbs, a recent Life Sciences graduate and recipient of the Nicholas and Janice Brathwaite Award through the PETNA Foundation.
Jean Augustine, widely recognized as the driving force behind federal recognition of Black History Month in Canada, shared reflections from her life and work as an advocate, trailblazer, and educator. During the evening, guests also experienced art, poetry, music, and a screening of Steadfast: The Messenger and the Message, a documentary celebrating Augustine’s life and legacy.
A highlight of the event was the fireside chat featuring Augustine, Nicholas Brathwaite, and Keziah Gibbs, which explored the importance of generational legacy, education, and community strength. Chancellor Brathwaite reflected on how meaningful it was that one of his first public events as McMaster’s Chancellor was a Black History Month celebration honouring someone he deeply respects — and who, like him, was born in Grenada.
The event also underscored the importance of ensuring Black history remains visible, recognized, and structurally supported in Canada’s institutions. It served as a reminder that Black history is not only a part of Canadian history, but an essential part of our shared collective legacy.
PETNA Foundation is proud to see the continued impact of the Nicholas and Janice Brathwaite Award recognized in spaces that celebrate education, leadership, and community.
Read the original McMaster University article here:
Credit:
Adapted from an original article by Lisa Polewski. Photos by Ron Scheffler for McMaster University.
