Back in 1999 when Shalema Gantt first came to Nanaimo, she says she didn’t find many black people, and she didn’t hear much about the contributions of black Canadians in the region’s history. When she was given a resource guide on Black pioneers in British Columbia, she was inspired to share what she had learned with others, and started the Nanaimo African Heritage Society. 

Now more than 25 years later Gantt is still president of the society, and is still organizing events  to bring people together to mark Black History Month. Midcoast Morning asked her how the Nanaimo African Heritage Society is marking the occasion in 2026.

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Podcast Photo: Marie and Louise Stark (Estes-Stark Collection/Salt Spring Island Archives).