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Books for Learning More About Black Canadian History

By: Chloe Fine


 

The history of Black people in Canada has not traditionally been at the forefront of Canadian history and education on this topic. Because of this, there are so many events, stories, and experiences of Black Canadians which have been critical to Canadian heritage but gone largely unexamined. This disappointing lack of representation and black erasure in Canadian history is an issue which many historians and educational institutions are still attempting to correct as well as something that many people have been advocating to change for decades. The following is a list of excellent and incredibly informative books which each highlight different aspects of Black Canadian history and the Black experience in Canada.


“The Hanging of Angelique: The Untold Story of Canadian Slavery and the Burning of Old Montreal” – by Afua Cooper


This novel describes and analyses the story of Marie-joseph Angelique, an enslaved woman who was born in Portugal and eventually brought to Canada in 1725 by a man she had been sold to. It recounts her trial, torture and conviction for starting the fire in Old Montreal which engulfed 46 buildings. Cooper doesn’t just discuss Angelique’s life and the circumstances surrounding her execution but emphasizes the historical context of these events. It’s an incredibly powerful and eye-opening story of a Part of Canada’s history which has rarely been highlighted and put in public view.

Available at the Queen’s library:


“North of The Color Line: Migration and Black Resistance in Canada, 1870-1955” – by Sarah-Jane Mathieu


This novel’s central focus is the history of African Americans and West Indians who immigrated to Canada as a result of the reformation ending and Jim Crow Laws coming into effect in the United States. Mathieu examines the lives of Black labourers in major industries at the time, depicting the racism they faced within labour laws, the treatment of their unions and the discrimination they faced by both White employers and workers. Throughout the Novel, Mathieu hits on events of Black Civil Rights Activism while also breaking down segregation laws and practices which were in place in Canada during this period.

Available at the Queen’s library:


“They Said This Would Be Fun” – by Eternity Martis


This memoir investigates the topics of racial identity, race-based discrimination, and the trials and tribulations of navigating predominantly white spaces as a person of colour. Martis focuses her analysis of these topics within the setting of how they manifested while she was a student at a predominantly White university situated in London, Ontario. Martis takes the reader through her personal experiences and the effects that these themes have had on her life. This memoir is a critical read not only for its investigation of racism within our current age and how it is being experienced by younger generations but also how prevalent racism is in today’s educational institutions and among student bodies.

Available at the Queen’s library:


“They Call Me George: The Untold Story of Black Train Porters and the Birth of Modern Canada” – by Cecil Foster


This book goes into a comprehensive history of Black train porters in Canada as an integral part of the railways. It details the way in which they were treated as second-class citizens with no political and legislative representation due to their immigrant status. The Legacy of Black train porters in Canada is a history rarely discussed but offers incredible insight into labour conditions for Immigrants of colour in Canada from the turn of the century onward, depicting their job insecurity, hurdles to citizenship, complete lack of protection regarding working conditions, and the racism they faced by employers.

Available at the Queen’s library:


“North to Bondage: Loyalist Slavery in the Maritimes” – by Harvey Amani Whitfield


This book examines the relatively undiscussed history of slavery which occurred in the maritime provinces during and after the American revolution. Whitfield goes into compelling detail about the lives and history of the enslaved peoples who were brought to Canada during this time, underlining how they survived and adapted to both their uprooting and unchanging bondage.

Available at the Queen’s library:


“The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power” – by Desmond Cole


This book tells and contextualizes the stories of Black people throughout Canada’s history. This book also investigates and confronts the bias in traditional narratives of Canadian history. This book provides a unique outlook to readers as the experience of being black in Canada is the central focus of this book, discussing white supremacy and settler colonialism as critically Canadian issues.


“Mayann Francis: An Honourable Life” – by Mayann Francis


Mayann Francis in this autobiography depicts her fascinating life journey which lead to her becoming the 31st lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia. Born in Nova Scotia, just months after Viola Desmond was arrested in the same province for challenging segregation, Francis has lived through pinnacle moments of black civil rights in Canada and the united states. This book discusses her various achievements as well as the adversity and challenges that they entailed.


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