Exhibition in Old Montreal museum looks at Black community's work on the railways
An event at the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History (Pointe-a-Calliere) Museum highlights the role of Black railway porters in a local neighbourhood.
The St. Henri community is one that some say has been long forgotten. The community is crisscrossed by train tracks, and its history is linked to the rails, being home to the oldest railway in Canada.
The working-class neighbourhood was immortalized by author Gabrielle Roy as a French-Canadian community, but there were also pockets of Black Montrealers living there.
"The other reality is that push against the myths or the romantic narrative of it being only Quebec francophone working class community," said historian Dorothy Williams.
The museum's exhibit dives into St. Henri's history and includes a section on railway porters. Williams found that many of them were Black men with university educations working as valets and living in St. Henri.
"We're not talking an uneducated class of people," she said. "We're talking about people who were pre-med, pre-law, the same person who would shine your shoes could also have a discussion with you about Aristotle and Socrates."
Working as a porter at the time was seen as a good job, but Williams said that even if Jim Crow laws weren't in place in Canada, abuse existed throughout the system.
"So you have you have stories of Black men being spit and hit, vomited on," she said.
For the museum, highlighting the porters' stories was a priority.
"Of course, if one community is predominant, you will mostly talk about them, but you don't want to forget the smaller stories that are important," said expositions director Samuel Moreau.
Williams will be giving a presentation at the museum on Feb. 22, which will look at the little-known community.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
'More aggressive': Tocchet shifts lineups as Canucks get ready to take on Oilers in Vancouver
As the Canucks prepare to take on the Oilers for Game 5, Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet is making changes to the team's lineup.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.