Hamilton honours Black city builders during Black History Month
City residents Ona Allen and Dr. Anthony McFarlane are now among 21 honourees in We Are Hamilton – Black History Remembered and HSR recognizes the contributions of multi-faceted artist Queen Cee with a bus wrap by stylo starr.
Hamilton’s Black History Month celebrations include an HSR bus wrapped in recognition of a local artist, the addition of two more honourees in We Are Hamilton – Black History Remembered, the annual John C. Holland Awards, and plenty of arts and culture events throughout February.
The 2026 Hamilton BHM theme is Honouring Our Past. Healing Our Futures, with a special emphasis on Black health and wellness.
It goes without saying that the Black community has contributed significantly to the history and cultural diversity of Hamilton.
In 2023, the Black History Month Council, in partnership with Black-led organizations and the City of Hamilton came together to launch the first official Black History Month campaign called We Are Hamilton – Black History Remembered. Through this collaborative initiative, images and biographies of Black Hamiltonians are shared with the community and new honourees are recognized each year.
The campaign has recognized 21 Black Hamiltonians, including 2026 honourees Ona Allen and Dr. Anthony McFarlane.
According to the City of Hamilton’s bio: “Ona Allen (1925-2025) leaves a legacy as a trailblazer. Born in 1925 in the historic North Buxton settlement, she made history as Hamilton’s first Black nurse, becoming a beloved and trusted presence at Hamilton General Hospital for nearly four decades, where she served with grace across countless wards and departments. Her retirement function, attended by hundreds, reflected the profound impact of her service. She overcame with grace and professionalism the incidents of racism she encountered in her childhood and adult work. She was a devoted and cherished member of Stewart Memorial Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.”
According to the City of Hamilton’s bio: Dr. Anthony McFarlane (1937-2025) “grew up in Jamaica and immigrated to Canada in 1959. He completed his medical studies at McMaster University and the University of Toronto. He maintained a successful medical practice for almost five decades in Hamilton until his retirement in 2006. Passionate about Caribbean history, he acquired a significant collection of rare books related to Caribbean history, some of which he donated to McMaster University. He received a Vice-Chancellor’s Award from the University of the West Indies in recognition of his support for the university. He was also a prominent member of the Temple Anshe Sholom congregation in Hamilton.”
Allen and McFarlane join past honourees: Reverend George Edmund Fitzgerald Horton (1934-2017); musician Haydain Neale (1970-2009); philanthropist Dora Anie (1949-2019); nurse and community pillar Anita Isaac (1939-2020); blues legend Jack “Jackie” Washington (1919-2009); enslaved woman Sophia Burthen Pooley (c1772-c1860); teacher Cynthia Taylor (1925-2002); social justice leader Denise J. Brooks (1956-2020); teacher and community champion Eleanor Rodney (1938-2020); entrepreneur Dr. Ethilda (Tillie) Johnson (1929-2016); community activist Fleurette Osborne (1927-2019); Reverend John Christie Holland (1882-1954); matriarch and community pillar Julia Washington Berry (c1856-c1950); educator Neville Nunes (1931 -2016); sports leader Norman “Pinky” Lewis (1898-1977); sports leader Ray Johnson (1934-2006); Reverend Robert Foster (1920-2002); community leader Vince Hall (1936- 2002); and Black heritage champion Wilma Morrison (1929-2020).
This year, HSR is launching its new Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Placemaking Program to bring people together through public art and community activities that celebrate inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility. Each year will feature a new theme, a bus wrap, an interior bus gallery and community events to build awareness, empathy and a sense of belonging.
The first theme is Black History in Hamilton, with the inaugural bus wrap transforming one of HSR's buses into a meaningful piece of public art. In consultation with the City’s Black History and Heritage Group and designed by Hamilton collage artist stylo starr, the artwork honours community leader Queen Cee.
“Through bold visuals and storytelling, the bus encourages curiosity and conversation about Black History and the ongoing contributions of Black Hamiltonians. Inside the bus, riders will find messages sharing Queen Cee’s story and community impact, offering small moments of learning and connection during their daily trip.”
Queen Cee (aka Queen Dollylama) is a multi-faceted musical and visual artist. She is also a community activist through her organizations that empower women and girls in her community through artistic means. As Queen Dollylama" she creates, customizes and sculpts characters and figures that are a creative reflection of people of African descent, humanoid and fantasy. She showcases her creations within creative dioramas and with photos stories.
“Whether humanoid or fantasy, it's about imagining and re-imaging us (Black people/people of African descent) in creative elements, scenes, worlds and dimensions where our energy can and should have fun and take up space,” she writes in an online bio.
As a singer/songwriter. Queen Cee's genre style comes from a mix of genres she loves and grew with; her current sound is a blend of neo-soul, jazzy hip hop, indie blends, as well as musical creations of house music.
“Hamilton's history has a long list of Black community leaders and contributors to the city,” starr writes in an artist’s statement about her work. “It is important to highlight the contemporary, current day leaders to show that Black history and influence in this city doesn’t just exist in the past – but it is being constantly created and fortified by the efforts and contributions of incredible Black Hamiltonians like Queen Cee.
“I've had the privilege of growing up and being deeply inspired by Queen. It’s important for me in my practice as an artist to give flowers to the people that have impacted me or my communities. Having grown up taking public transit for most of my life, the HSR played a major role in how I got around the city. It’s been such a wonderful experience having the chance to adorn a bus, and for a worthy commemoration of a cherished friend and contemporary, celebrating Black history as it lives.
Hamiltonians are encouraged to snap and post pictures of the bus as it travels the city.
There are many ways to mark Black History Month in Hamilton, including live music, artist talks and the John C. Holland Awards on Feb. 15. Details are here.
Check out Tourism Hamilton’s page dedicated to celebrating Black history and culture in the city and don’t miss this amazing community community guide, curated by BLK-OWNED Hamont. You will learn about the culture of the African and Caribbean diaspora in Hamilton, discover the city's great Black-owned restaurants, and shops, and meet Black artists and leaders across the city.
