From The Caribbean To Cokeville

Nova Scotia's Dominion Iron & Steel Company (DISCO) in Sydney, Cape Breton, DISCO flourished in production to make Sydney an important industrial city. After this DISCO used the labour of many African descendent immigrant workers from America and the West Indies. Under the promise of higher wages, their families being transported with them for free, and nicer accommodations, they made their way over to work for the company, where they were made to endure the most unpleasant work in the steel mill and disgustingly bad housing in the worst part of Whitney Pier, known as Cokeville. Many left Cape Breton after the façade of lies was broken and they saw reality but the ones that did stay or moved to other labour-based towns in Cape Breton changed the history of these places in many different ways. This exhibit features three main tabs: the recruitment of steelworkers, a look at UNIA chapters in Cape Breton, and what life was like outside of steelwork for the community.