Here’s a change to expand your film knowledge and celebrate Black History month at the same time:

The Little Black Schoolhouse, Sylvia Hamilton
Sunday 8 February, 1 – 4 pm, Agnes Etherington Art Centre

The Little Black School House (60 minutes) examines the largely unrecognized history of slavery in Canada, and the experiences of Black communities in Nova Scotia and Ontario. The Agnes Etherington Art Centre, in cooperation with the Queen’s Department of Art and the Cultural Studies Program, is proud to present an afternoon with Sylvia Hamilton, a Trudeau Mentor and award-winning documentary maker. Focusing on segregated schools present in rural communities across Nova Scotia (the last of which remained open until 1983), and in Southern Ontario into the 60′s, the screening of Hamilton’s most recent documentary will be followed by a talk and reception.

The Little Black School House weaves individual accounts with archival photographs and historical documents, the result of Hamilton’s own archival research, to examine the social conditions that legitimized the racial segregation of education in Canada. Trudeau Scholar Kate Hennessy describes the film as “a striking example of the power of the documentary to unearth such stories, generate new knowledge, and re-situate otherwise obscured narratives in these historic places and the people who remember them.” With a vibrant musical score composed by jazz legend Joe Sealy, this poignant documentary is an unflinchingly honest evocation of the struggle of African Canadians to achieve dignity and equality through education. After the screening, Hamilton’s presentation on her work will include clips from other films and a discussion with the audience. A reception with light refreshments will follow.

Sylvia Hamilton is a multi award-winning filmmaker, writer, and educator known for her documentaries which explore the little known history, contributions and experiences of African Canadians. She has been an invited filmmaker and keynote speaker for conferences around the world, including Sierra Leone, Guadeloupe, New York City, Mexico City and Paris. Throughout her career she has received numerous awards including a Gemini, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s Maeda Prize, the Progress Women of Excellence Award for Arts and Culture, the CBC Television Pioneer Award, and the Portia White Prize for Excellence in the Arts. Ms. Hamilton graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Arts and subsequently completed a Master of Arts in Education at Dalhousie University. She resides in Grand Pré, Nova Scotia and is president of Maroon Films Inc.

For further information, please contact Pat Sullivan at 613.533.6000 x 77053 or Matthew Hills at x 77049