Anti-racism activists are taking inspiration from the effect that Pink Shirt Day has had in schools to open up discussion about bullying and are proposing the creation of Black Shirt Day to promote the discussion of Black history.
They’re proposing Jan. 15, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, as the appropriate date. Kamika Williams of Anti-Racism Coalition Vancouver is one of the organizers.
“It’s to promote education on anti-racism and civil rights,” says Williams. “We thought that (King’s birthday) would be a good day. The goal is eventually to make (Black Shirt Day) recognized around the world.”
Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 to stop bullying in Canadian Schools. More than a decade later, the movement has spread across Canada and around the world. In recent years, Orange Shirt Day has also emerged as a movement in schools across Canada. It promotes solidarity with the Indigenous victims of Canada’s residential school system.
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