Our History

February, 1989
Racially motivated fights and disturbances at Cole Harbour High School in Dartmouth sparks nation-wide attention and debate on the issue of racism in the Nova Scotia education system.

1989
An ad hoc delegation of Black Educators, community leaders and organization representatives convene meetings to discuss racism in the Nova Scotia education system with members of government – under the leadership of the late Mr. Delmore (Buddy) Daye.

1990
Discussions and negotiations between the ad hoc delegation and the government of Nova Scotia, culminates into the formation of the Black Learners Advisory Committee. The Black Learners Advisory Committee – a ten member task force mandated to conduct a review of the past and present status of the education of African Nova Scotians; to make recommendations for improvements to the education system; and to identify strategies to meet the educational needs of all African Nova Scotians.

1992
The BLAC implements the Regional Educators Program – a province-wide network and team of community-based educational development workers – with a mandate to facilitate the collection of demographic and other data for the BLAC study.

December 1994
The Black Learners Advisory Committee releases The BLAC Report on Education – Redressing Inequity, Empowering Black Learners. The three-volume report contains 46 recommendations to Government.

June 1995
The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Culture releases, The Response to the BLAC Report on Education. The twelve-page response outlines the department’s intended actions to implement the BLAC recommendations.

December 1995
The Regional Educators Program is transferred from the BLAC to the Black Educators Association on an interim basis.

January 1996
The Council on African Canadian Education comes into legislation.

February 1996
The Department of Education and Culture establishes the African Canadian Services Division (ACSD) following from Recommendation #2 of the BLAC Report on Education.

October 1996
The Minister of Education and Culture appoints the first slate of members to the Council on African Canadian Education.

June 1997
First Executive Director is appointed for CACE.

February 1998
An official induction ceremony is held to formally introduce CACE as part of the African Nova Scotian educational infrastructure.