CANADA BLACK MUSIC ARCHIVES (CBMA) LAUNCHES AS THE DEFINITIVE DIGITAL REPOSITORY OF BLACK CANADIAN MUSICAL HERITAGE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2023
City OF TORONTO ARCHIVES 
255 SPADINA ROAD
4:00 PM ? 8:00 PM

Canada Black Music Archives
www.thecbma.com 

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2023 /CNW/ - Canada Black Music Archives (CBMA) is excited to announce its official launch as a digital repository dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich and diverse musical heritage of Black Canadians.

Founded in 2020, the CBMA stands as a testament to the enduring contributions of Black musicians to Canada's cultural landscape over the past 100 years.

The CBMA aims to fill a crucial gap in Canada's historical narrative by providing a digital platform accessible to all, highlighting the remarkable contributions, stories, and legacies of Black musicians across various genres.

Executive Director Phil Vassell of the Canada Black Music Archives states: "The CBMA stands as a testament to resilience, creativity, and cultural richness, amplifying the voices of Black musicians and redressing historical underrepresentation. CBMA is a crucial step toward fostering understanding, appreciation, and a stronger sense of identity for all Canadians."

The CBMA is a rich educational resource for exploring the multifaceted history of Black Canadian music with an extensive collection of music, photographs, interviews, and historical documents.

"The power of music can help bring people together, share stories of lived experiences, and spark meaningful conversations about the past, present and future" according to Robyn Small, Senior Manager, Philanthropy, Sustainability & Corporate Citizenship of TD Bank Group.

"Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, TD is proud to support the Canada Black Music Archives in ensuring Black artists' rich and diverse voices remain accessible for generations while creating space for emerging digital communications professionals to develop their skills."

In celebration of its launch, the CBMA invites the public to explore its digital archive and engage with this vital source of Canadian history, ensuring its preservation and dissemination for future generations.

Experience an exceptional live performance by Liberty Silver, the first Black Juno Award winner in the R&B category, and other surprise guests. Visit our website for more information and to explore the Canada Black Music Archives.

Karen Thorne-Stone , President and CEO, Ontario Creates states: "Ontario Creates is proud to support the development of the Canada Black Music Archives. The Archives, with its cultural significance and legacy, has been thoughtfully and skillfully curated and aligns with Ontario Creates' vision to showcase the incredible diversity of talent our province has to offer. We congratulate Word Media Group for bringing this initiative to life."

The CBMA would like to express profound gratitude to TD Bank Group, Ontario Creates, Canada Summer Jobs, Ontario Skills Development Fund, and Public Address for their generous support. We want to thank WORD Magazine, Lake of Bays Brewing Company, our interns, supporters, organizations, and the City of Toronto Archives.

SOURCE Canada Black Music Archives