MELFORT — The Melfort and District Museum partnered with WeCollaborate to recognize Black History Month in Melfort.
The Melfort Museum currently has an exhibition featuring 25 profiles of prominent Saskatchewan residents, from early settlers to present-day leaders. Visitors can learn about their contributions to the province in diverse fields, including homesteading and settlement, arts and entertainment, sports, agriculture, religious leadership, business, health care, education, and human rights.
The event was MCed by Dr. Yemi Laosebikan of Melfort. Brenda Mellon, Melfort curator and cultural co-ordinator, said, "The Melfort & District Museum and WeCollaborate have partnered for the last three years to host an event to celebrate Black History Month.
The Gallery of Trailblazers: Black History Month Exhibition will be on display at the Kerry Vickar Centre until Feb. 28. After that, the bust of Dr. Alfred Shadd will be moved to its permanent location at the Melfort Hospital. The bust was donated by Aaron and Lynette Kornberger.
Shadd was a pioneering doctor, educator and community leader in Melfort. Born in 1870, he arrived in Kinistino in 1896 as a teacher before earning his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1898. He returned to the Melfort area and became the first documented person of African descent in the region. As a physician, he was known for his dedication, braving harsh conditions to treat patients regardless of wealth. Shadd also served on Melfort’s council, school board and as a church warden. Later in life, he owned the Carrot River Journal.
Mellon said an e-book called Shadd Drive is available on the Melfort & District Museum website at for those who want to learn more.
Melfort city councillor Tara Muntain said, "It was incredible to see such a great turnout to honour the Saskatchewan trailblazers who paved the way and those leading the way today."
Laosebikan and his wife, Foluke, moved to Melfort in 2004 and raised their family in the community.
The exhibition will be on display at the Kerry Vickar Centre until Feb. 28. The public is invited to stop by and explore the inspiring profiles and the bust of Shadd.
