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In 1933, the Canadian Ambassadors, led by saxophonist Myron Sutton, relocated to Montréal and became the city’s first organized Black Canadian jazz band. The six-piece ensemble performed regularly in “white only” clubs and cabarets, including…

A photo of the Henry F. Hall building on the Sir George Williams campus. This was the building used by the protestors for their sit-in and the location of the subsequent events February 11th, 1969. After beginning their sit-in on January 29, the 400…

A black and white newspaper clipping from Contrast, a Black-owned newspaper. The image is a walk to bring attention to police brutality and the killing of Albert Johnson.

A detailed 19th-century map of Canada West (modern-day Ontario), showing counties, townships, roads, rivers, lakes, and settlement patterns. The map includes fine boundary lines, labeled municipalities, and an inset map showing the Great Lakes region…

William Greves is an African American director who came to Canada in the 50s to pursue his dream of directing. There was no tolerance for Black people in the film industry in 1952 in the US, so Greaves moved to Canada to create his work. He moved and…

Daisy Peterson Sweeney played a central role in nurturing Montreal’s jazz community, particularly within the St. Antoine district. Raised in a family where her father, a railway porter, insisted his children pursue opportunities beyond portering, she…

Men, women, and children protesting against school segregation, specifically The Common Schools Act in the 1960s.

This photo shows three young girls, Eleitha Haynes, Elizabeth Phillips, and Camille Haynes, participating in Brotherhood Week at the Negro Community Centre. Brotherhood Week was an annual program designed to introduce children to different countries,…

A book about Black life in 1960s Montreal.