Black literary voices usually slip through the cracks. BlackLit Durham creates a space for Black Canadian writers and listeners yearning for authentic representation with the allure of open mic performances and diverse written works. The bi-monthly event takes place at the St. Francis Centre in Ajax.
In mainstream media, Black identity is often portrayed through an American lens. BlackLit Durham strives to highlight the unique perspective of being both Black and Canadian.
The precursor of this initiative was AfriCANthology Canada, one of the four founding groups of BlackLit Durham.
In June 2022, AfriCANthology hosted a showcase at Ajax’s St. Francis Centre to promote their book AfriCANthology: Perspectives of Black Canadian Poets. The event was a physical manifestation of what the book offered – storytelling, rap, poetry and dub, a poetry style specific to Jamaican culture.
Greg Frankson, co-editor of AfriCANthology and artistic director of BlackLit Durham, knew he was onto something special when the audience members expressed excitement about having a literary event in Ajax. He later approached Ajax Public Library about creating a series that could build on this momentum. That marked the beginning of Black Lit Durham.
Frankson explained what makes the Canadian Black experience unique is that most of the community comes from families who have come from the Caribbean or Africa within the last five generations. This creates cultural vocabulary, tendencies and experiences often overlooked or misrepresented in Canadian arts and literature.
“But in aggregate, this multiplicity of voices shows very clearly the depth, the breath and the variety that makes up the entire Black community,” said Frankson.
Despite being born and raised in Toronto, Frankson did not come across African-Canadian literature as a child. Now, whenever the topic comes up, he enthusiastically shares the names of African-Canadian authors doing big things in the literary world, including Dwayne Morgan, Lawrence Hill and Jillian Christmas, to name a few.
“No one Black poet or writer represents the full Black experience of Canadians in their writing,” he said.
Photo Credit: BlackLit Durham Files
Frankson, who coordinates for BlackLit Durham’s events and bookings, has invited a range of talented black writers, including journalist and author Morgan Campbell.
“It’s only in the last few years that book events specifically for authors of colour, specifically for Black authors, have really started to take shape,” said Campbell.
With the circle of Black writers in Toronto and Durham being tight, taking part in BlackLit Durham was an easy decision for Campbell. “As a Black person in the Toronto area with a book out, you figure it’s only a matter of time before you wind up getting an invite to BlackLit Durham,” said Campbell who participated in the October showcase in 2024.
His segment involved reading from his memoir, My Fighting Family, a story from his perspective as a Canadian with African-American roots. A lot of the stories in his book touch on navigating the diversity of different cultures within the Black community.
As a Canadian who experienced African-American culture from his parents, Campbell had a clear view of the uniqueness between both experiences and the role the media plays in the public’s understanding. He mentioned how pervasive African-American pop culture is and how easy it is for people to use this portrayal to categorize all Black experiences, rather than the diversity that exists within the African diaspora.
One example is vocabulary. Where many Black Canadians have developed a way of talking that incorporates Caribbean slang, that is not something prevalent among African-Americans.
Like Frankson, Campbell did not grow up with literature that represented the Black Canadian experience. In fact, there is a chapter in his memoir about an argument he had with his grade 10 teacher when a textbook mentioned the 1915 movie Birth of a Nation. Having personal knowledge of American history, he pointed out that the movie not only glorified the Klu Klux Klan but was successful in Canada. This cemented how “disconnected the curriculum was from the reality of race relations.”
BlackLit Durham continues to provide a platform for conversations, using literature, poetry and performance to highlight Black experiences in Canada.
The organization welcomes audiences of all backgrounds to engage with Black Canadian stories and learn at the bi-monthly events.
The next event is April 23, 2025 at St Francis Centre in Ajax. Tickets can be accessed through their website, https://blacklitdurham.com/