a history of colour
Feb. 18th, 2007 06:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Feburary is Black History Month in Canada. I have the vague idea that it might also be Black History Month in the US, but only because of something I saw on The Daily Show.
My workplace prides itself on being very pro-diversity. So now when we walk onto my floor from the elevators we pass right by a display that talks about black Canadians of note. I stopped to read it the other day, and realized that all the plaques are titled "Contributions of African-Canadians".
And if my lily-white Celtic self spotted this, you can bet it did not escape the notice of all the Carribbean-Canadians who work there, and who probably outnumber the employees of African birth or descent by a ratio of about 80 to one.
Now I know why every time somebody mentions the subject of Black History Month the Jamaican guy who sits next to me yells, "You mean African-Canadian History Month" and then falls over laughing.
My workplace prides itself on being very pro-diversity. So now when we walk onto my floor from the elevators we pass right by a display that talks about black Canadians of note. I stopped to read it the other day, and realized that all the plaques are titled "Contributions of African-Canadians".
And if my lily-white Celtic self spotted this, you can bet it did not escape the notice of all the Carribbean-Canadians who work there, and who probably outnumber the employees of African birth or descent by a ratio of about 80 to one.
Now I know why every time somebody mentions the subject of Black History Month the Jamaican guy who sits next to me yells, "You mean African-Canadian History Month" and then falls over laughing.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-19 02:11 pm (UTC)