Black History Month at the Library

February is Black History Month; a time to honor and celebrate the culture, contributions, and legacies of Black Canadians and others around the globe.

In honour of this month, we are highlighting resources and books available in the Algonquin College Library to help guide the College community in learning about the achievements made and adversities faced by Black individuals over the course of history.

Below, we have a highlighted selection of available books in honor of Black History Month. We encourage all to drop-by the library and discover a variety of novels featuring prominent Black authors, non-fiction narratives that foster allyship, award-winning children’s books, and more.

Below is a list of a few examples of books you can find in the Library to read during Black History Month:

Explore our online collections to find more recommended resources in celebration of Black History Month:


Learn about colonization with interactive Indigenous timeline

Kerry Potts wants people to learn about colonization. Formerly a professor atlogo for interactive Indigenous timeline Humber College, Potts began co-creating an interactive timeline in 2022 to help fellow teachers share the ongoing history of colonialism in Ontario, Indigenous resistance efforts and other topics relating to governance and Indigenous knowledge. Read more >


His heart is in the right place

On any given day, Fernando Castellanos Mateus can be found caring forProfile of Fernando Castellanos wearing hospital scrubs next to an ECG machine, hearts.

As a cardiology technologist, Castellanos, 47, works between the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s clinics and labs and the Ottawa Hospital’s intensive care unit administering electrocardiogram (ECG) tests to those needing cardiac care.

“It’s a fast and easy test that takes a few seconds, but you can learn a lot of information in that time,” said Castellanos. Read more >