July 27, 2020
CBC has launched an expanded BEING BLACK IN CANADA website featuring the stories and experiences of Black Canadians, highlighting narratives that matter to Black communities including relevant news pieces, individual successes, and historical content. Now live at cbc.ca/BeingBlackInCanada, the site showcases profiles, opinion pieces, video, audio, and a wide breadth of content across all areas of CBC including news, documentaries, arts and other programming.
“I am excited by the opportunity of this website, which will undoubtedly play an important role in helping us move forward. Being Black in Canada offers a window into the struggles while celebrating the culture and achievements of Black communities,” said Barbara Williams, Executive Vice-President, CBC. “I have been moved by the many conversations I have been having over these past months. By the incredible openness of our Black employees to share their painful experiences, even when they may have felt they had already shared so many times. By the rawness of the stories, the intensity of the emotion, the sadness that surrounds the frustration. I can only imagine how hard these experiences must have been. Most recently, we heard from Dexter Brown and Imani Walker about their painful experiences while working at CBC. They bravely opened up so that we can learn and do better as an organization. And we will.”
The new expanded BEING BLACK IN CANADA website launches alongside a one-hour CBC original special of the same name, featuring news, current affairs and arts content hosted by Asha Tomlinson, available now on CBC Gem. The BEING BLACK IN CANADA special tackles how the time for change is now in the fight against anti-Black racism, and what that change should look like, featuring Black Lives Matter activists as well as Black community members who are pushing for inclusion in the boardroom and beyond. The special also includes new interviews with the cast and creative team of acclaimed CBC original miniseries THE BOOK OF NEGROES (3x120), which is receiving an encore broadcast this week as part of CBC's special programming in recognition of Emancipation Day (August 1). The miniseries continues tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC TV and CBC Gem.
CBC has been producing and publishing content under its BEING BLACK IN CANADA brand since 2013, when it was initially launched as a Black History Month program for CBC News Network, hosted by Tomlinson. Topics included Canadian Black history and culture, racism, parenthood, and activism - past and present - and the program featured interviews with notable Black Canadians. The online iteration was initially launched in 2018.
