Nearly 400 years since the first enslaved African arrived in Canada, a new series explores the lives of Black Canadians to this day.

The series illuminates the struggles and triumphs of Black people in Canada while celebrating the contributions of both famous and lesser-known Black Canadians. Epic in scope, Black Life spans more than 400 years with an eye toward contemporary issues, culture, politics, music, art and sports.

Executive producers Leslie Norville and Miranda de Pencier recruited a distinguished team to create the eight-part series. Former governor general Michaëlle Jean and rapper and broadcaster Shad served as cultural consultants, and former NHLer P.K. Subban served as an executive producer for the series, which premieres on CBC Gem on Oct. 18 and on CBC-TV on Oct. 25. Two episodes of Black Life were selected for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

The first four episodes of Black Life: Untold Stories will be available on CBC Gem on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. 

Learn more here