Legacy Poster Celebrates 25 Years

BY: ALYSSA MAHADEO

Many great leaders find themselves at the helm of great movements, they build empires, and they leave behind a lasting impression of the things they accomplished throughout their lifetimes. These days the legacy that one leaves behind has become a hot topic, many thinking how their current endeavors and accomplishments will translate to the next generation.

Legacy is defined as “anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor,” and the legacies we create today work toward creating a better more positive impact on tomorrow.

The LEGACY poster began in 1995 while local artist Robert Small attended the University of Windsor. After graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and a Certificate in Criminology he was also left with a mountain of debt in student loans. In an attempt to reduce that loan, Robert created five prints of his artwork with a $500 loan from his parents.

While there was much enthusiasm and interest in his work, print sales were not going as expected. In order to not disappoint his parents, Robert began thinking about how he could resurrect interest in his prints and his own confidence.

The idea of creating a poster that would celebrate Black History Month and feature a sample of his work which he would give away to members of the community to get his name known as an artist. Similar to the historic Kings and Queens of Africa posters sponsored by Budweiser many years ago, Robert got several small community businesses to sponsor the poster. In a game-changing move, thought of an incredible name for the poster which would reignite his earlier passion for success by calling it “The Official Black History Month Poster”.

“When I look back on it and I think about it, it seems like such a long time since I was a nerdy kid from North York drawing Spiderman and the Hulk,” Robert shares. “This year I wanted to include individuals who have excelled in a variety of different careers, but I also wanted to pay tribute to the past and my own legacy and the legacy of the poster and so that’s how I came up with this yearbook idea.”

Robert explains that the yearbook concept comes from leaving well wishes for the future, for it to be better while also reflecting on the past and commemorating the memories created in the present.

This year the Legacy Poster has reached a major milestone, celebrating its 25th anniversary by featuring individuals from the past as well as well as the present. The poster recognizes Canadian Journalist Marci Ien, Human Rights advocate Ginelle Skerritt, Former Athlete, Activist and Educator Wade Smith, Lawyer, Musician, Poet Painter, and Business Man Charles Roach, Canadian Journalist, Author and Former Amateur Boxer Charles ‘Spider’ Jones, and Social Activist Dolly Williams. 

“I think the one thing I would like people to really focus on is the title of the poster ‘LEGACY’ to get them to start thinking about leaving behind a legacy of their own,” Robert says. “It’s important to know that while everyone on the poster has a legacy, the fact that one day I’ll be gone and these posters will still be up someplace after I’ve passed away is a legacy unto itself.”

Over the last 25 years, the poster has gone from being handed out to individual people in Scarborough, Ontario to reaching millions internationally on an annual basis. In 2007, the name of the poster became “LEGACY” and soon after posters were created to celebrate Asian Heritage Month and Women’s History Month.

“I think all of us need to find something about ourselves that we can value to leave an impact beyond our own mortality when we leave this planet,” Robert shares, “Making it to 25 years seems to have happened so fast, when I see over 90 people on the poster I think ‘wow I can’t believe that I’ve drawn that many people.’ My challenge now is probably looking toward celebrating 50 years now that would really be a feat.”

The 2019 Black History Month Legacy poster is now available for sale online at www.thelegacyposter.com.