There probably hasn’t been a book that has sparked as much debate or emotion at one of our monthly book club meetings as An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.

Dr. Joan Samuels-Dennis is a forgiveness therapist from Brampton, Ontario. Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or a group of people. “In my sessions, I help clients release wrongs done to them, that have rooted itself in their belief system.”

The brisk cold air and the light dusting of snow could not stop the over 400 people who came to see renowned two-time bestselling author Angie Thomas at the Rose Theatre last night in Toronto.  Though the room was filled with both young and old book lovers of all backgrounds and ethnicities, Thomas made one thing clear, Black voices and Black stories matter. 

In The Hate U Give we enter Starr’s world.  She is the only witness to the shooting of an unarmed black boy, who also happens to be her childhood best friend. We are there from the start to the finish, from the shooting to the grand jury verdict and we observe and read each scene and experience a wave of emotions; shock, sadness, anger, defiance, hope, and hopelessness. All the while hoping that this will be the time when justice is finally served.

The struggles of Black Canadians who’ve paved the way for future generations must not be forgotten. During Black History Month we celebrate and remember the important contributions and achievements Black Canadians have made throughout history.

Four books by Black Canadian authors and illustrators are among the seventy books that are 2018 finalists for the prestigious Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks).

You probably know Lawrence Hill best from the wildly successful Book of Negroes.

The face of Canadian literature is changing, and here are some of the people helping to turn the page.