Catherine Tolbart and former partner Ensley Gabriel

Catherine Tolbart and former partner Ensley Gabriel

Jazz Photography

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 partner, Ensley Gabriel, who, like many porters, spent time at Rockhead’s between runs. Her photography placed her in close contact with men whose daily lives stretched far beyond Montreal, moving constantly along major railway lines that linked cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Toronto.

Catherine Tolbart

Catherine Tolbart. Catherine Tolbart and former partner Ensley Gabriel. Photograph. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/black-porters-montreal-railway-labour-rights-1.6358979

CBC

1920-1940

CBC

CBC

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Photograph