about us
Founded in 2020, the Canada Black Music Archives (CBMA) is part of the historical record and our continuing memory as Canadians. As a digital archive, we are accessible to everyone with online access and will become an important educational tool. The CBMA provides important evidence of past and continuing contributions of Black Canadian musicians. A key objective of the CBMA is to increase the sense of identity and belonging in a place where Black Canadians have lived and contributed to furthering Canada’s development for over 400 years.
our mission
The CBMA's mission is to research, preserve, and amplify the rich, largely untold music history of Black Canadians and the many music genres they excelled in and influenced.
our purpose
There is a serious underrepresentation of the contributions of Black Canadian musicians to Canada’s music history. If it does exist, it is scattered across Canada. This has the effect of diminishing and marginalizing Black contributions to the Canadian fabric. The CBMA aims to become the main repository for this information.
our history
The story of the CBMA began with the history of WORD, Toronto’s award-wining Black Culture Magazine. Co-founded by Phil Vassell and Donna McCurvin in 1991, the seeds for the CBMA were planted at that time. The first issue of WORD was published in March 1992. Music coverage became the bedrock of the magazine. Distributed free across the Greater Toronto Area and shared nationally and internationally, this Black arts and culture magazine quickly captured a loyal, multi-ethnic, multi-racial readership and diverse contributors.
Before the advent of the internet and social media, WORD became the major platform for showcasing and exposing the creative and artistic skills of many of Toronto’s Black writers, musicians, photographers, graphic designers, visual artists, cartoonists, playwrights, fashion designers and filmmakers. WORD also became a one-stop guide to entertainment events across the Greater Toronto Area. In 2013, WORD ceased regular print publishing and focused on online at wordmag.com.
celebrating music
WORD spawned two major music festivals: the Toronto Urban Music Festival, founded in 1997 and the IRIE Music Festival, founded in 2001. Both festivals became foundational events in Toronto – showcasing new, emerging and veteran local and regional artists from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, alongside international guest performers. Both festivals brought exciting new, local talent to the forefront at major venues such as the CNE Bandshell Stage, Ontario Place, Nathan Phillips Square, Queen’s Park, Yonge Dundas Square and Celebration Square. The Sauga Music Festival, launched in 2019, became the third festival founded by Donna and Phil. Based in Mississauga, the festival featured Peel-based urban artists but was short-lived due to the pandemic. These festivals have rich music histories captured on video, audio, photos, flyers, posters and advertising that are a critical part of the history of Black artists in Canada.
Toronto Urban Music Festival
