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Charles Burke grew up on Coursol Street in Montreal and, after finishing school, worked as a railway porter. His seniority on the railway allowed him to select a schedule that left his weekends free, which gave him the opportunity to start a side…

Railway porters, such as F.R Blackburn, were known as conduits of culture, often coming into porting already educated and well-travelled. Their work took them through some of the busiest cultural corridors in North America. As they moved between…

Catherine Tolbart used to photograph porters at Rockhead’s Paradise while they stayed in Montreal, spending many evenings capturing their portraits, their interactions, and the lively setting of the club. Through this steady work, she met her former…

Many Black families were pushed from their homes because of discrimination, limited schooling, and unstable jobs, creating a need to move somewhere with real economic security. Montreal became that destination because the railroad industry offered…