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Surrey Archives to host virtual talk as part of Black History Month

Guest Speaker Yasin Kiraga Misago to explore history of Surrey’s African diaspora
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Guest Speaker Yasin Kiraga Misago will explore the history of Surrey’s African diaspora during a virtual chat hosted by the Surrey Archives on Feb. 9. (Image courtesy Surrey Archives)

The Surrey Archives is celebrating Black History Month.

The Archives will host guest speaker Yasin Kiraga Misago Feb. 9 for an online-only chat.

Misago, president of the African Descent Society of B.C., will give a free talk that highlights the early history of B.C.’s Black community. That history dates back to 1858. Misago will also touch on a bit of history regarding Surrey’s African diaspora.

“One of the earliest Black families to set roots in Surrey was the Scott family,” Ashlee Milby, communications coordinator for the City of Surrey wrote in a press release. “Moving to Surrey from the southern U.S. in 1912, Henry Houston and Amy Scott soon became integral residents of the Cloverdale community.”

The Houston-Scott’s lived on a seven-acre farm at 64th Avenue and 181A Street. They raised three children there: Roy, Jesse, and Benola. Part of the former farm is now a park and some of the original trees from their orchard still stand in the park today.

The city officially opened Henry Houston Scott Park in 2019.

SEE ALSO: Cloverdale’s newly named Henry Houston Scott Park opens

“Misago will open the conversation with attendees, taking questions and encouraging storytelling,” Milby wrote.

She added the African Descent Society of B.C. exists to promote arts and culture in B.C. and “plays an important role” in shaping local and provincial educational resources.

“Their African Descent History Education program offers numerous ways to engage with the history of the African diaspora in the Lower Mainland, the province and across Canada.”

Milby said for all Surrey Archives programs attendees must pre-register.

For more information, or to register for Misago’s virtual history talk, call 604-501-5100 or navigate to surrey.ca/archives on the World Wide Web.



editor@cloverdalereporter.com

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Malin Jordan

About the Author: Malin Jordan

Malin is the editor of the Cloverdale Reporter.
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