Understanding the hidden story of Black Okanagan history

How long has there been Black involvement in the Okanagan Valley?

Despite being left out of historical records, Black people have been in the valley almost as long as the first settlers.

To mark Black History Month, the Kelowna Museums Society has a self-guided exploration tour as a way for residents to learn about the role Black people have played in shaping the Okanagan.

“In the past years, Kelowna Museums hasn’t done anything for Black History Month only because there weren’t any records of Black involvement in the archival and historical records that exist here,” Alana Firedancer told Kelowna10. “However, this year I wanted to do a little more digging to actually find something for Black History Month.”

Firedancer had help from professors from University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), who helped get her the information she needed to come up with this project and identify some key points in local history with Black involvement.

“We dated back to the gold rush, early settlement, and later in the 1900s, when we had more immigrants coming here. And we also added some contemporary history as well...to remind us that Black History Month not only exists in the past, but we’re also celebrating the present as well,” she said.

“I think it’s important to increase minority visibility in Kelowna, especially since it’s often left out of historical records as well as contemporary events.”

The Hidden Story of Okanagan Black History runs until Feb. 27.