The foundation for the Canadian Black Literary Festival (CBLF) was built through BlackLit Durham, a bimonthly literary reading series held in Ajax’s historic Pickering Village.

Presented by AfriCANthology Canada (now the Canadian Black Literature Institute) in partnership with What’s Your Story Author Services, St. Francis Centre (now Ajax Centre for the Arts), and Ajax Public Library, BlackLit Durham has showcased, highlighted, amplified, and celebrated Black Canadian literary voices of all genres in their full splendour and diversity since June 2022.

Over four years later, it is the only recurring literary series of its kind in the eastern GTA, drawing hundreds of audience members from the Region and neighbouring communities each year.

Building upon the success of BlackLit Durham, the inaugural Canadian Black Literary Festival launched on Saturday, August 29, 2026.