August is Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), a recognition of the contributions, the generosity and the leadership of Black members of our community. Each year, a theme is selected to focus our attention. The theme for 2025 is Sankofa Now! Remember. Reclaim. Rise!
In describing the theme the BPM website says,
We remember our philanthropic roots, built on collective care and community-driven investment. We reclaim our power to shape our future, ensuring that Black-led change is not just recognized but sustained. And we reinvest in our people, our movements, and our solutions—because the future of Black philanthropy (and all humanity) depends on what we do today.”
In honour of this theme, NCF did some digging to learn more about the rich history of the community-driven investment of Black residents here in Niagara. What we found was a deep and long history.
As we read through the heroic stories of freedom seekers in the 17 and 1800’s like Solomon Moseby, Chloe Cooley, and Harriet Tubman, we are humbled by the chilling ties to slavery, racism and discrimination in Niagara.
As we continued to learn about abolitionists like William and Susannah Steward, landowners like the Wesley Women, and shop keepers like Lewis Ross of the early 1900’s, we are inspired by their tenacity and resilience claiming their rights and place in society.
As we transitioned into the 21st century, we marveled at the multigenerational legacy of the Bell family and extend our gratitude to historians like Wilma Morrison, and Rochelle Bush who have preserved these stories and compel us to learn from our past so that we can set our sights on the future.
These stories of Black resilience, resistance and leadership, teach us about collective care, community strength and Black-led change. They remind us to decolonize our definitions of philanthropy, and celebrate collective action and community-driven investment. These stories broaden our understanding of generosity to include kindness towards others, donations of time and talent, and preserving stories to build our collective memory.
Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing some stories of Black philanthropists in Niagara, reaching back in history and pulling out the wisdom from the past and setting our sights on the future.
The history of Black philanthropy in Niagara is deep and stretches back many many generations. Niagara has been shaped by the Black community and we will continue to be led by them.
Acknowledgement
This series was written by a White woman of colonial descent. We recognize and acknowledge the potential for bias and the limitations of sharing Black stories from a White perspective. We gratefully acknowledge Rochelle Bush from Tubman Tours Canada, who generously reviewed these posts to ensure historic accuracy and cultural sensitivities. Thank you Rochelle for your contributions of time and knowledge.
SOURCES
Black History in Niagara
Voices of Freedom: Black History of Niagara-on-the-Lake
