Black in Canada: One Family’s Journey

nanettemorton

When I was going to school in Canada, the part that Black Canadians played in our country was largely ignored. This podcast is my attempt to fill in a few of the gaps in my high school history text by telling some of my family’s stories. Most of them are stories that I’ve been told. Others are things I dug out of the archives. Join me on this journey of discovery. . .

Episodes

  1. Jun 18

    Episode 2: The Census

    In the last episode, I talked about the dearth of African Canadians in my school history texts. In this episode, I’ll talk about the beginnings of my journey towards knowledge – a journey that started with my mother, my great aunt, and the US Census of 1870.  My great-great-great grandparents were in Milam County, Texas on that day. But how much information can you wring from two or three lines of text? And what do you think, fam? Do you think Great-great-great grandfather Washington changed his name?

    26 min

  2. 03/10/2025

    Episode 1: Miseducation

    It was 1980 something, and I was in my first year of high school. This is my recollection of what it was like, and what I was taught -- or, more precisely, what I wasn't taught -- in Canadian history and Canadian geography. As one of my classmates would later put it, "our history class was really, really white." I'd like to thank my cousin Marilyn Brown Smith for adding immeasurably to the conversation. I'd also like to dedicate this episode to the memory of my cousin Sihaya Lawson, and my friend Phyl Good. Both women were ill (I didn't realize how ill) when I started this project, and provided valuable feedback to earlier versions of the text. Thank you, Sihaya and Phyl. I will remember you always.

    18 min

  3. 02/15/2025

    Trailer

    Remember when Mom said, "If you want something done properly, you have to do it yourself?" Yeah, well, this is this history version. When I went to high school in Canada, there were no Black people in my history texts. None. Nada. No Marie Joseph Angelique, no Underground Railroad, no Viola Desmond. So, started reading on my own. Started talking to people. Started putting my family into historical context. How did we get here? What happened after that? And after that? Let's get to it. . .

    7 min
  • 3 Episodes

About

When I was going to school in Canada, the part that Black Canadians played in our country was largely ignored. This podcast is my attempt to fill in a few of the gaps in my high school history text by telling some of my family’s stories. Most of them are stories that I’ve been told. Others are things I dug out of the archives. Join me on this journey of discovery. . .

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