Sankofa flag raised at town hall, lowered to honour Rev. Jackson

Brent Jones
March 1, 2026 at 4:13 AM

A scheduled Black History Month flag raising at Fort Erie town hall took on added significance Friday morning when organizers and Mayor Wayne Redekop agreed to lower the newly raised Sankofa flag to half-mast in honour of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

The Black History Month Sankofa flag was raised at 10 a.m. on February 27 outside town hall as part of a Black Education Week tour across Ontario and New York State, according to organizers.

Moments before the ceremony, organizer Dewitt Lee III, president and founder of Caretakers of Our Culture, requested that the flag be lowered to half-mast during the time of Jackson’s memorial service in Chicago. Redekop approved the decision, organizers said in a follow-up release.

“This is a way for us to say thank you on behalf of the Canadian families who were united, after Rev. Jesse Jackson negotiated with Saddam Hussein the release of several Western hostages, which included Canadians,” Lee said in a statement.

“To represent Ontario, Canada, today during Black History Month, and to be included in the list of places in the USA paying reverence to Rev. Jackson by lowering their flags, is truly emotional.”

Lee described it as a “significant spiritual moment of connection” between Canadian and American communities.

The Sankofa flag was created by Caretakers of Our Culture to mark what organizers describe as the 100th anniversary of Black history celebration in the United States and the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada.

The design of the flag is rooted in the Akan concept of “Sankofa,” a Twi word from Ghana meaning “go back and get it,” emphasizing the importance of learning from the past. Credit: Town of Fort Erie

According to materials provided by organizers, the flag’s colours and symbols reflect themes including sacrifice, resilience, separation during the slave trade and the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality.

The February 27 event also marked the second annual Black Education Week, which runs February 21 to 28 and is focused on highlighting the contributions of Black educators, students and leaders.

Lee said Fort Erie was chosen as a priority stop on the tour because of its deep connections to Black history, particularly its role in the Underground Railroad.

Attendees on Friday included Mayor Wayne Redekop, former Emancipation Month Queen and author Stacy “Destiny” Savary, Greater Fort Erie Secondary School principal Fred Louws, Caretakers of Our Culture president Dewitt Lee III, and Upper Canada International Education Museum curator Mark Roe. Credit: Town of Fort Erie

Caretakers of Our Culture has previously partnered with the Town of Fort Erie on initiatives including International Underground Railroad Month and the annual “Josiah’s Journey” re-enactment marking the October 28 arrival of freedom seeker Josiah Henson and his family in Fort Erie.

The Sankofa flag has been touring schools, community centres and municipal buildings throughout the region, with organizers describing it as both an educational tool and a symbol of global Black history.