Draft:Canada Black Music Archives

The Canada Black Music Archives (CBMA) is a digital archive based in Toronto, Ontario, established in 2020 as a division of Word Media Group Inc. The archive is a non-profit organization which aims to preserve and highlight the contributions of Black Canadian musicians to Canadian music and cultural life.

History
The Canada Black Music Archives was founded in 2020 by Phil Vassell and Donna McCurvin. The couple previously founded WORD, a Black culture magazine, in 1991, and produced the Toronto Urban Music Festival and the TD Irie Music Festival. WORD magazine ceased publication in 2013. Vassell and McCurvin were first inspired to create a Black music archive in order to preserve and make accessible the legacy of WORD magazine.

Collections
The CBMA maintains a searchable database of Black Canadian musicians which can be sorted by genre, region, or era. Each artist's page includes a biography, discography, and a selection of material such as photographs, videos, and press clippings. Notable artists include Archie Alleyne, Cy McLean, Drake, Freddie James, George "Wild Child" Butler, Geraldine Hunt, Jackie Shane, Jully Black, Joe Sealy, Robert Nathaniel Dett, and Mynie Sutton.