Erasure
Mathieu Da Costa was an interpreter who worked for French and Dutch explorers. He’s believed to be the first Black person to visit Canada in the early 1600s.
Herb Carnegie was a hockey superstar who did not play in the NHL due to prejudice. He was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and awarded the Order of Canada. Watch this summary of his accomplishments, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame #WeWillDoBetter — Herb Carnegie.
Portia White is considered to be one of the best classical singers of the 20th century. She was named a “person of national historic significance” by the Government of Canada in 1995. Hear her sing in this English or French video. Portia White: The African-Canadian contralto singer who won international acclaim Historica Canada. Watch his video in English or French.
Grafton Tyler Brown was the first professional artist in B.C. He painted landscapes of Victoria and the Fraser, Thompson, Okanagan, and Similkameen Valleys in the 1880s. Learn more about him in this Royal BC Museum video.
Why do you think parts of history are left out?
There is an African proverb that states, “Until the lion tells its own story, the hunt will always glorify the hunters.” What do you think it means? When history is told, often the perspective of the conquered is not included. Take Canada for example: Do you know who John A. MacDonald is? How about Donnacona? Many Canadians do not know that Donnacona was a great Iroquois leader who lived in Stadacona, what Canadians now call Quebec City. When parts of history are excluded, on purpose or not, this is called erasure. The contributions and success of Black people have been minimized and erased from history for centuries.