Screenshot from social media post on the Hon. Jean Augustine |
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Reimagining our Black heritage & Black future |
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This Black History Month we're previewing stories on Black heritage from our upcoming Unveiling Heroes of the Block digital tour, presented in partnership with the Black Speculative Arts Movement (BSAM). We will feature six Black Canadians that contributed to the foundational fabric of our city on social media. This week, we celebrated Black leaders in politics with a look at Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons, and William Peyton Hubbard, the first Black person elected to public office in Toronto. For more on their extraordinary lives, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Next - mark your calendars! The digital tour, launching February 23, accompanies a public art installation by BSAM which re-envisions leaders from the Black community as real-world superheroes. BSAM's exhibit embraces an Afrofuturistic practice and philosophy, combining science-fiction, history and fantasy to examine the past while empowering and liberating the imagination. Stay tuned for more information in our next issue on these inspiring public art pieces, located across Toronto, and the artists behind this innovative project.
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Howard Matthews, Archie Alleyne, Dave Mann, and John Henry Jackson, restaurant owners, Bloor Street, 1970. Courtesy of the Matthews family
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Underground Railroad restaurant |
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We are working to add more Black stories to our Plaques program, an ongoing priority for our organization. This month, we will feature two new plaques about The Underground Railroad - one of Toronto's first soul food restaurants. Opening on February 12, 1969, during its 20 years in operation, the restaurant became one of the city’s most popular eateries and a cultural landmark for Toronto’s Black community.
The original owners were Toronto Argonauts teammates John Henry Jackson and Dave Mann, jazz musician Archie Alleyne, and restaurateur Howard Matthews. Alleyne and Matthews met as classmates at Lansdowne Public School. All four contributed family recipes to the menu, which celebrated soul food—black-eyed peas, candied yams, collard greens, cornbread, and Southern fried chicken—and its centuries-old history, originating in Africa, the Caribbean and the US.
The restaurant's name, design and atmosphere surfaced a dark chapter in history, while also celebrating the community leaders who risked everything to ensure freedom. Along with Underground Railroad-themed artwork and decor, menus featured the histories and contributions of Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and others.
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Mitchell Daniels, Emerging Historian, October 2021 |
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Call for Emerging Historians |
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We have an exciting Emerging Historian opportunity to work on an architectural tour for our 2022 season! Applicants should have an established interest in mid-century Toronto architecture and photography. The successful candidate will work closely with an experienced professional to research and develop a walking tour along with supplementary digital components. Please note this contract combines remote work with in-person tour presentations. The application deadline is February 23. |
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Emerging Historian opportunities are made possible with the support of our donors and program partners: |
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Panelists during the Remnants of Mid-Century Toronto discussion |
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ICYMI - Remnants of Mid-Century Toronto |
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On January 19, we delved into the past and present of Toronto's mid-century architecture with an animated discussion featuring panelists Vik Pahwa, architectural photographer and documentarian; Spacing’s creative director, Matthew Blackett; and Philip Evans, Principal at ERA Architects. Our thanks to all those who participated and for your wonderful comments and insightful questions.
If you missed it, the video of the event is now available to view.
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Sculpture honours Joshua Glover who came to Canada through the Underground Railroad in 1854, and is accompanied by a Heritage Toronto plaque. (CTV News)
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To honour the community’s elderly, the Hong Luck Kung Fu Club performed a traditional lion dance outside long-term care homes run by the Mon Sheong Foundation in downtown Toronto and Stouffville. (The Globe and Mail)
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Reconstruction work began at the heritage school shortly after the 2019 fire with special attention given to important heritage features, including a stained glass window honouring the youth of York Township who died in the First World War. (CBC)
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