Gar Lunney, “One male and two female skiers in a class at a winter resort in the Laurention mountains of Québec,” February 1953, Library and Archives Canada. Copyright: Expired .
The latest in blog posts, news, and podcasts from the world of Canadian history.
Missed last week’s roundup? Check it out here.
- The Scots in BC blog shared an award-winning essay by Lydia Tang on John Booth, who is most well-known as the poet who wrote “My Home Town,” which helped ensure that the Pacific Dogwood flower was adopted at BC’s official flower.
- The most commonly used words in #envhist, according to Jessica DeWitt, this week were: “environmental,” “water,” and “neonics.”
- Beyond Borders is back with a new blog post by Rachel Engl Taggart on Benedict Arnold’s failed Invasion of Canada, in September 1775, and how the men on the expedition bonded together.
- Stephen Bocking posted a short review of Nancy Bouchier and Ken Cruikshank’s The People and the Bay: A Social and Environmental History of Hamilton Harbour.
- Krista McCracken and I announced this week that we are going to be editing a new series for Active History on innovative pedagogical techniques for teaching Canadian history at the university level! Find out more about the series, and how to submit, by going here.
- Bashir Mohamed has another important thread explaining one particular image of the Klan in Edmonton, which features a young Black boy sitting in the front.
- NiCHE continued their series on “Canada’s Anthropocene” this week.
- First was a post by Josh MacFayden, asking how academic concepts like the “Anthropocene” play out in the real world.
- And then the series concluded with a roundtable including all of the series’ participants.
- Paul Seesequasis has a short Twitter thread arguing that if we exonerate Poundmaker, we should always exonerate Big Bear.
- Darrly Leroux has another new Twitter essay this week, explaining how one French woman, Catherine Pillard, became “Indigenous” for the purposes of the Eastern Métis.
- This week on Unwritten Histories, we had a special guest post by Laura Larsen, about the role that oral history plays in shaping our research.
- Also from Active History this week is a new blog post by Eric Story, announcing a new mini-series, complicating our understanding of how disabled WW1 veterans were received by the Canadian government, particularly with respect to the issue of pensions.
- Larry Dohey talks about the experiences of Newfoundland POWs during WW1.
- Tom Hooper has written a new blog post for Active History about some of the instances of historical injustices that will not be covered by Bill C-66, including Ron Rosenes’s case, where he was convicted in 1981 for being found in a common bawdy house. As Hooper notes, this is one of many problems with the Bill, which the Canadian government seems determined to push through.
- The Archives of Ontario, in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Finance, has just released a new collection of digitized historical government documents. Check them out here.
- Andre Costopoulos has more to say about the Ice Bridge documentary, the politics of doing archaeology, and the real-world impact of conclusions. Most of this is equally applicable to history.
- Karly Kehoe has shared this 1819 trade ledger from Port Hood, Cape Breton, which illustrates Cape Breton’s connections to Caribbean slave-based economies.
- Do you recognize any of the children in these photographs from residential schools in Spanish, Ontario? Algoma University Archives wants to know.
- Joanne Hammond is back with all the Twitter essays again!
- First off, she explains the important role that beavers played in shaping North American waterways, though Ed Dunsworth pointed out (and Hammond agreed), these waterways became navigable because of Indigenous knowledge and technology.
- In honour of hitting 4,000 followers, she looks back at what was happening in Secwepemc territory 4,000 years ago.
- LAC has released a new search tool that is still in its beta testing phase! If you are adventurous, they would love to hear your thoughts on the new system!
- This week the Atlantic Loyalist Connections blog continues their mini-series with a new post by Cassandra Bullett, on what is was like to be a medical student in the 18th century.
- This week marks the 30th anniversary since the Morgantaler decision, which ruled that the 1969 federal abortion law was unconstitutional. Shannon Stettner and Katrina Ackerman look back on what has changed, and what hasn’t.
- The Virtual Museum of Canada has a brand-new exhibit on the history of the Kingulliit (“the next generation”), the generation of Inuit born from 1900 to 1930. This generation witnessed the transition from a traditional way of life into the modern era, through the process of colonialism.
- On the Beyond the Spectacle blog, Jack Davy explains his research into the use of authentic Indigenous artwork, clothing, and artifacts in inauthentic museum representations of Indigenous peoples, and how these museums facilitate engagement between these items and British and Indigenous visitors.
- Retroactive takes a look back at the early days of archaeology in Alberta (late-19th to mid-20th century), with a particular emphasis on archaeologist H.M. Wormington.
- Find out about some of the new additions to the UBC digitized collections, and other updates, in this impact report on the UBC Digitizer’s blog.
- Erin Millions compiled a list of some of the Department of Indian Affairs reports criticizing residential schools from the 1880s to 1970. If you don’t want to believe residential school survivors, then here is evidence from the actual Canadian government.
- Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College have just launched a new undergraduate program in public history.
- Jennifer Claire Robinson has a fascinating take on how museums integrated (or didn’t) stories of injustice, exclusion, trauma, and colonialism within their Canada150 celebrations.
- Jessica DeWitt has a new blog post where she reflects on how she integrated Twitter into her recent course on American History to 1865.
- Have you heard of the Calgary Film Society’s screening of the 1981 film series, Celluloid Closet?
- The Dictionary of Canadian Biography’s latest biography is for Heinrich H. Ewert, a 19th century Mennonite educator.
- The City of Vancouver Archives has a new blog post announcing the addition of almost 7,000 newly digitized photographs to their collection! These images are from two different City of Vancouver heritage inventories, showing historical buildings around the city.
- Find out about LAC ‘s latest acquisitions in their newly released Winter 2018 edition of What’s New in the Collection!
- Kristen Greet discusses the role played by British naval and army officers in creating the collections of natural history museums (particularly birds) around the world in her latest post for the Empire Trees Climate blog. This includes both Canadian collectors and repositories, as well as one ill-fated Canadian duck.
- Centre d’archives de la Grande Zone argileuse profiled some of their latest acquisitions, including high school yearbooks. Who else is horrified at the idea of theirs ending up in an archive? I would personally rather forget that high school even happened.
- Whistorical looked back on the week of January 25th in decades past.
- Find out about the latest acquisitions at Memorial University’s Maritime History Archive.
- Chris Whitehead published a response to a previous piece on History Workshop’s website on histories of migration in museum stories, including Canada’s own Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.
- This week the Instantanés blog celebrates the life and work of photographer Conrad Poirier.
- Find out about the new partnership between The Centre for Undergraduate Research Learning, the Department of History at Huron University College, and Neil Orford, around the “Digital Historians Project.”
- The Canada Science and Technology Museum is using their 3D scanner to bring Canadian history to life for students.
- This week the St. Catharines Museum takes us on Walk Y, with a focus on the waterworks utility.
- Steve Clifford has an update on his Valcartier Crowdsourcing Project, including new identifications.
- Bashir Mohamed also has an important Twitter essay this week on the Black Indigenous experience, with a focus on Henry Mills, a formerly enslaved Black man who married into the Blood tribe.
- Veronica Strong-Boag has written a new post for the BC Studies blog on BC’s first female MLA, Mary Ellen Spear Smith, and her remarkable life.
- Katrina Srigley has written a new blog post for Active History, as part of their ongoing series reflecting on the Manitoulin Island Summer Historical Institute. In this post, she talks about learning through fostering relationships. And she so kindly mentioned Unwritten Histories! Thank you Katrina!
- Sean Carleton provided some treaty education in honour of the Crowchild Classic in Calgary this week.
- In the latest Champlain Society podcast, Patrice Dutil spoke with Andrew Holman about the establishment of the NHL.
- This week on the Acadiensis blog, Patrick Mannion reviewed Gerhard Bassler’s Develop or Perish: A Pictoral Record of J.R. Smallwood’s New Industries.
- This week the Canadian Centre for the Great War takes a look at John McCrae’s work with the Canadian Army Medical Corps. However, Kesia Kvill recently argued on Twitter, we need to start looking beyond his memorialization.
- The Toronto Public Library shared this fascinating blog post profiling seven science fiction and supernatural books by late 19th and early 20th century Ontario writers. And the best part is that they can all be downloaded for free!
- Susan Colbourn introduced the new Canadian International History Committee blog by sharing some thoughts on the field.
- The Archives of Lesbian Oral Testimony posted the text of a recent talk by Elise Chenier and Meghan Walley about some of the challenges faced in administering the Bridging the Gap project, and how the archive is integrating community stories into its collection.
- The University of Toronto and its federated colleges have just launched a new shared portal for exploring their archival holdings. Check it out here.
- Rachel Bryan shared her experiences teaching Mihku Paul’s poem, “The Water Road,” on the history of the Wolastoqiyik homelands.
- This week Whistorical also discussed the Clausen family and the Rainbow Ski Village in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Bill Allman has written the latest post on Eve Lazarus’ blog about rescuing the lights of the Orpheum Theatre.
- Heritage Winnipeg has a new blog post this week that I am very uncomfortable with. It is about Thomas Scott Memorial Hall. Yes, that Thomas Scott. The post discusses his Orange Order affiliation, but basically skates over the role both played in the 1869-70 Métis Resistance. The post also neglects to talk about how both the Order and Thomas Scott were racist and implicated in settler colonialism, aside from the inclusion of the term “controversial” in the title. This is a classic example of erasure of Indigenous experience and white-washing in narratives of Canadian history. So I include it here only for the sake of completeness, with a strong warning. And if anyone from Heritage Winnipeg is reading this, I’d be happy to chat about how to do better next time.
- Kesia Kvill has written a brand new blog post all about the evolution of the Purity Flour Cook Book and making chocolate refrigerator cookies. Omg, I totally need to make these.
- This week the Canadian Museum of History shared this beautiful print by Kenojuak Ashevak (Inuit) entitled The Enchanted Owl. However, as Aylan Couchie (Anishinaabe from Nipissing First Nation) rightfully pointed out (and the museum did acknowledge, though they didn’t apologize), the language that is used by institutions that describe Indigenous art as “artifacts” privileges western/European art over Indigenous art.
- Robert Jago (Kwantlen First Nation/Nooksack Tribe)shared the story of his cousin James, of the Katzie First Nation, and how he became the first Stó:lō Nation person to die in Stó:lō in 150 years, protecting the Stó:lō people and their culture. This is a very powerful story of grief, loss, and pride. Thank you for sharing it, Robert.
- Daniel Heath Justice shared the story of his great-grandfather, Amos Spears, who was a student at the Cherokee Male Seminary in the late 19th century. In this thread, Heath Justice explains the difference between Canadian and American residential schools, and the differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous education.
- Canadian History in the News
- Find out about the history of BC’s Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
- The New York Times takes a look at the rise and fall of Peterborough, former manufacturing centre of Canada.
- Toronto City Councillors are still trying to figure out what to do with the 1831 St. Lawrence Market drain.
- Find out about the amazing work that George Scofield (Métis) is doing to bring home Métis artwork and artifacts that are being sold online.
- TVO looks back at another Ontario minimum wage increase and subsequent uproar, in the 1960s.
- Would you like your very own 1940 RCA 50kW shortwave radio transmitter?
- This week, The Globe and Mail ran an article about how archaeologists are uniquely positioned to help move reconciliation forward through a profile of the Save the Evidence campaign. My main issue here is that this article seems to imply that there is a discrete difference between archaeologists and Indigenous peoples (all of the archaeologists featured were non-Indigenous), and doesn’t recognize all of the awesome work that Indigenous archaeologists have been doing for decades.
- A journalist has announced that he has found what may be the last American slave ship, The Coltilda. Not being an archaeologist, I’m not really qualified to comment on this, but as with all big archaeological discoveries, it may take years to figure this out.
- And check out this story to hear some of the stories from the descendants of enslaved peoples who were transported to North America on this ship. Their accounts were ignored for decades.
- Some questionable specimen of humanity sent a letter to Coutoreille Wright containing private information from her mother’s child welfare records dating back thirty years. WTH is wrong with people?
- CBC spoke with Susan Boyd about her latest book on the history on drug prohibition in Canada.
- Though not necessarily Canadian, The Smithsonian magazine has a new exhibit the use of images of First Nations peoples as cultural symbols, as a means of teaching Americans the truth about prevailing myths about First Nations history. The article features an interview with the exhibit curator, Paul Chaat Smith (Comanche).
- Vledon Cobrun has another great piece in Maclean’s about why so many people continue to deny the truth about residential schools and reject Indigenous perspectives, even those who claim to be in favour of reconciliation.
- UBC has announced a new project, in conjunction with Genome Canada, to create a “library” of Indigenous DNA, to “bridge Canada’s gap in medical care for Indigenous communities.” While I think this is well-intentioned, it seems to be that maybe we should actually be listening to what Indigenous peoples and communities are asking for, which is funding. Particularly in light of the recent refusal of the provinces to sign an agreement on Indigenous child welfare.
- Efforts are underway to restore what may be the oldest original surviving basketball court, which is located in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. That’s right, basketball was invited by a Canadian.
- Wilder Penfield got his own Google Doodle this week! He is best known in Canada for being the surgeon in the “I smell burnt toast” Heritage Minute, which was commemorated in the Doodle.
- Find out about Edmonton’s Amiskwacly History Society, which was created as a forum for lectures about Indigenous history, told by Indigenous peoples.
- More here!
- Do you remember that exhibition I mentioned last year called War Flowers, about flowers and the Canadian experience of WW1? Well, Canadian Geographic interviewed the filmmaker/curator involved in the exhibition, Viveka Melki.
- Check out this latest review of Janis Thiessen’s Snacks on the Food Book Feast blog.
- Jason Colby was interviewed by C-FAW 1070 radio about his upcoming book on how western attitudes towards the orca have evolved over the years.
- This photographic essay from Radio Canada celebrates 200 years of the Université de Saint Boniface.
- While this one, from the Journal de Montreal looks back at the city 110 years ago.
- A lost WW1 medal has been returned to the family of its original owner, Private J.A. Hewson.
- Find out about the history of Jackman, a French-Canadian immigrant village in Maine that has recently been in the news because of its racist town manager.
- The County of Simcoe shared Mrs. Malcolm Macleod’s butter tart filling recipes, and went on a search to discover her actual identity. What is up with all the butter tart news lately? Could this be related to the great butter conspiracy of 2017? #buttertartconspiracy
- The Globe and Mail spoke with Eve Goldin this week, a TIFF librarian who has a massive movie memorabilia collection!
- In the latest Dig It column, Clinton Coates discusses how archaeological artifacts can help us learn about the past.
- As is the case with so many other cities, Toronto also has a long history of people complaining about traffic, roads, and transit. This Montrealer isn’t impressed.
- This week marked the 59th anniversary of the Knox Mine disaster.
- The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs is calling on Halifax to immediately remove the Cornwallis statue, since the discussion over its future is taking so long.
- Do you know about the 1980s radio show, Brave New Waves?
- Kent Monkman recently spoke about his recent work on “Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience,” and how art can challenge traditional historical narratives about Canada.
- Kelly Malone has written an important piece for CBC about the failure of reconciliation for First Nations people living in small towns, with a particular focus on the Treaty 3 area.
- Canada Post has released two new stamps for Black History Month, honouring Lincoln Alexander and Kathleen Livingston.
- Rose Fortune, Black loyalist and entrepreneur, has just been designated as a person of National Historic Significance by the Historic Sites and Monuments board of Canada. The article doesn’t really explain who she was, check out her entry in the Canadian Encyclopedia.
- Better Late than Never
- Jordan Stanger-Ross wrote a piece for the Nikkei Voice on the three hundred letters written by Japanese-Canadians protesting the sale of their belongings during Internment, and what these letters reveal.
- CBC spoke with Sheldon Goldfarb about his recent book on student experiences at UBC over the past 100 years.
- Check out this wonderful reflection by a former student of Maddie Knickerbocker about colonialism, and knowing whose lands we stand on.
- Calls for Papers
- As I mentioned above, find out about the new series on Active History I’m editing with Krista McCracken, and how to submit, by going here.
For some reason, this one seems shorter than usual. I realize it’s an illusion, largely relating to the traumatic experience that was the first roundup of 2018. But still. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup! If you did, please consider sharing it on the social media platform of your choice! And don’t forget to check back on Tuesday for my favourite new scholarly articles from the past month! See you then!
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