Learn the story to identify yourself

February 2021. Black History Month. I found out Co-operation of blacks in Quebec: Four centuries of shared history. Published in 2012 by Publications du Quebec. I had never heard of it before.

The work of historian Arnaud Bessier tells of many examples of black cooperation in Quebec and Canada.

This work inspired the company Strategy Carrier and its Executive Director Annie Gene.

They have made a series of narrative pellets that are currently running on various platforms.

This is a structured phase, which I appreciate. The model to follow, because it participates in the appearances of this common historical memory.

The memory, diversity and differences that are born in us, the concept of belonging to the same country.

Against silence and memory

According to the author of the book, the history of blacks in Quebec has long been ignored by historians.

He therefore had a challenge to undertake: to prove that the history of the black community in Quebec is very real and just as great and that it is based on many official or private sources and archives.

Teaching and education

In his book CEGEP professors wanted to teach black history in their classroom. For good reason, many black students still notice that Quebec history is not theirs.

Because they have not been taught the history of the black community in Quebec, they feel that they do not know a recognizable historical or contemporary person or, quite simply, do not know themselves.

Contrary to popular belief, blacks in Quebec, in particular, have been far removed from anchoring young people in their history. This is the goal of Arnold Bessier.

The importance of knowing the other

Knowing about yourself and others is fundamental when you have a serious desire to live together.

Let’s take two people in the frame of the first serious meeting, which in the near future, will form a couple. Beyond attraction and desire, monopolize time through innovation …

In general, one wants to know everything about the other: his place of birth, his childhood, his first kiss, his first desires, his failures and successes, and so on. We try to overcome misunderstandings and prejudices.

Then we move or get frustrated. Disappointed, everything stops there and we look for a soul mate elsewhere. Moved, search continues for a while.

Then comes the time for attachment, bonding, and so on.

We end up identifying with someone else and vice versa. We form one … with complexity.

It should be on par with the corporation.

Thus, different cultures and societies – including blacks – are involved in modern Quebec architecture and contribute to a better understanding of diversity and its richness.