CN Tower lights a go for Black History Month

Gary Peters
Gary Peters

Community leader and educator Gary Pieters has successfully called on CN Tower management to light up the tower for Black History Month.
“I would like to see the CN Tower illuminated in the colours red, black and green that are traditionally associated with the Black African identity as part of the colour rotation on the CN Tower illumination, starting on Feb. 1 and through the month of February,” Pieters said.
A tower spokesperson said they will oblige Pieters and will pick a date in February to light the structure.
In his submission to tower management requesting the inclusion, the former president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations noted that “upon looking at your lighting schedule for February 2016, I do notice a significant omission, that is, that there is no lighting to commemorate the nationally observed African heritage Black History Month which has been observed in Toronto and across Canada since 1996.”

CN Tower
CN Tower

In 1995, Jean Augustine, former MP in Etobicoke -Lakeshore and former parliamentary secretary to prime minister Jean Chretien introduced a motion that was unanimously passed recognizing February as Black History Month across Canada.
Pieters told CN Tower management that “if you would like a group of community leaders to attend the first lighting, please let me know so that the arrangements can be made.”
Pieters noted the CN Tower lighting schedule for February lists Chinese New Year, Eating Disorder Awareness Week, World Cancer Day, World Flag Day and International Rare Disease Day.
Black History Month is an opportunity to recognize past and present contributions African-Canadians make in areas like education, medicine, art, culture, public service, economic development, politics and human rights.