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In 1928 Rufus Rockhead applied for a beer license, only to be told by the commissioner, “You know we don’t give licenses to coloured people.” Undeterred, Rockhead spent eleven months navigating bureaucracy, leveraging connections, and persistently…

In 1928, Rufus Rockhead purchased the Mountain Hotel at the corner of Mountain and Saint-Antoine, laying the foundation for what would become one of Montreal’s most important cultural venues. Before securing this property, he had tried to buy a…

Rockhead's Paradise holds a significant place in history, with its owner, Rufus Rockhead, being Montreal’s first Black nightclub owner, and likely the first in Canada. Rockhead’s club was one of the few venues of its time that welcomed everyone,…

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…

The United States enacted the Volstead Act in 1919, successfully banning the production, distribution, and selling of alcohol. Although Canada never enacted the Prohibition, The Canada Temperance Act of 1878 gave local governments the option to ban…