Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies by Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta

May 2009 Photo Credits:

The Michaëlle Jean Chair in

page 2: Melvin Crump photo: Glenbow Archives : NA-4210-3

page 8: Baseball team photo: Glenbow Archives: NA-704-5

Dave Mills photo: Glenbow Archives: NA-769-6 Building the Alaska Highway photo: Yukon Archives, R.G. Gabriel Fonds, 2005/10 #18 Mifflin Gibbs photo: Mifflin Gibbs, c. 1870 (Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture). Sleeping Car Porters photo: courtesy of the A. Philip Randolf /Pullman Porter Museum. Group of women: William James / Library and Archives Canada / PA-126710 page 3: Wedding photo: Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management. Joan Payzant. O. Bertram Stubbs. N-9286 page 5: ©2009 University of Alberta

page 10: Senator Donald Oliver photo: courtesy of the Senate page 12: Anne Cools photo: courtesy of the Senate Violet King photo: Glenbow Archives NA-5600-7760a Portia White photo: Yousuf Karsh, Yousuf Karsh fonds, Library and Archives Canada, 1987-054,#9695 Mary Ann Shadd photo: Library and Archives Canada/ C-029977 Rosemary Brown photo: Barbara Woodley/Labatt Breweries of Canada/ Library and Archives Canada/ PA-186871 Jean Augustine photo: courtesy of Jean Augustine Harriet Tubman photo: Library of Congress. H.B. Lindsley. LC-USZ62-7816

Faculty of Education student in Ghana

www.education.ualberta.ca

www.arts.ualberta.ca

CANADIAN CARIBBEAN AND AFRICAN DIASPORIC STUDIES at the University of Alberta

Dave Mills, interpreter with Blood Chiefs and Indian agent

CPR Sleeping car porters

C O N TA C T S

Melvin Crump, CPR porter and musician

PEOPLE AND PLACES Black women’s organization, 1917

University of Alberta Contacts: For information on the fundraising initiative:

aste all text.

Miffin Gibbs, Victoria’s first black city councillor

Community Contact:

Fil Fraser, CM

Community Champion 9027 - 145 Street Edmonton, AB T5R 0V1 Cell: 780.940.9027 Land line: 780.487.4188 fbfraser@shaw.ca

Catherine Szabo, MA

Assistant Dean (External Relations) Faculty of Arts 6-33 Humanities Centre University of Alberta Edmonton, AB T6G 2E5 Tel: 780.492.8060 catherine.szabo@ualberta.ca

Associate Professor Political Science, Faculty of Arts Tel: 780.437.4270 malinda.smith@ualberta.ca

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Director of Development Faculty of Education 4-107 Education North University of Alberta Edmonton, AB T6G 2G5 Tel: 780.492.3680 neil.hayes@ualberta.ca

For more information about the Chair:

Malinda S. Smith, PhD

U.S. soldiers build the Alaska Highway

Neil Hayes, BSc, CFRE

Jennifer Kelly, PhD Associate Professor Educational Policy Studies, Faculty of Education Tel: 780.492.4229 jennifer.kelly@ualberta.ca

In order to succeed in reaching this goal, we are asking for the community’s support of this very worthwhile project. Donations can be made online at www.donations.arts.ualberta.ca. 15 F a c ul t y of E duc a t i on

BACKGROUND

Wedding in Dartmouth, NS. 1898

Why is a Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies important?

A cross Canada, from historic Africville, Nova

Scotia, to freed American slave settlements in Salt Spring Islands, British Columbia, to the Black Pioneer farmers of Amber Valley, Alberta – there is much to be discovered. Within our diasporic community, our strengths are many. We are made up of communities from the Caribbean and African *diasporas, and are shaped by a long, rich history of migration. Some in this diverse, multinational and multilingual community can trace their Canadian roots back several centuries. Many others have migrated from the Caribbean and Africa in the last three decades. Despite their long-standing presence of rich and varied experiences, these communities’ outstanding achievements in politics, Faculty of Education student in Ghana

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*Diaspora refers to any group migration or flight from a country or region.

education, business, arts, sports and culture, remain largely under-researched. The Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies will close this knowledge gap and create a new appreciation of the Caribbean and African-Canadian historical and contemporary experiences in Canada. Endowed chairs are highly honoured academic positions that allow a university to build its intellectual capacity by attracting distinguished faculty, outstanding students and renowned leaders in a given area of study and research. Our communities have too often borne the brunt of stereotypes. Knowledge is power. Through the guidance and research of the endowed Chair, we will challenge these racial stereotypes and encourage our youth to see a future with wider and brighter opportunities. Let’s embark on a journey of discovery! 3 F a c ul t y of Ar t s

FUNDING PLAN

O U R A S P I R AT I O N S

Faculty of Education student in Ghana

The Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies at the University of Alberta

How we will fund the Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies

The

A Chair at the University of Alberta requires

Michaëlle Jean Chair will focus on migration, diaspora and citizenship, addressing some of the opportunities and challenges associated with migration and the settlement of new citizens. The Chair will accomplish several goals: • Recruit world-class scholars, top undergraduate and graduate students • Offer internationally recognized curriculum, student mentorship, internships, community service-learning and study abroad opportunities in Africa, the Caribbean and elsewhere • Provide an internationally-recognized environment to focus study on the historic waves of forced and voluntary Caribbean and African migrations • Accomplish original research

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The Chair will also work in collaboration with many organizations across Canada and the world, including, the: • James R. Johnson Chair in Black Canadian Studies at Dalhousie University • Harriet Tubman Institute at York University • DaCosta-Angelique Institute in Montréal • Centre for Culture, Identity and Education at the University of British Columbia This initiative also includes: • A scholarship and fellowship plan • An annual lectureship • An interdisciplinary academic curriculum • An interdisciplinary research network

a minimum $3 million endowment to earn sufficient interest to pay the salary, benefits and research costs of a senior scholar. The community goal is to raise $1.5 million to endow half of what is needed for the chair. The final half will come from the Government of Alberta’s Access to the Future Fund, assuming that the provincial program will still be operational at the time of the gift from the community. There is some urgency to raise money quickly as the provincial fund is quickly becoming oversubscribed. Once $3 million in private donations and matched funding have been received, the University will begin the search for a worthy academic to be the first holder of the Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies.

How can you help? This is a legacy opportunity to associate your name with a groundbreaking initiative that will lead to new understanding, new perceptions and new opportunities for making the Caribbean and African Diaspora part of the Canadian mainstream. There are many ways to lend support to this important Chair. Please contact: Catherine Szabo 780.492.8060 or catherine.szabo@ualberta.ca Neil Hayes 780.492.3680 or neil.hayes@ualberta.ca Fil Fraser 780.487.4188 or fbfraser@shaw.ca Let us explain how you can join our partnership.

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Harriet Tubman: famous Underground Railroad, anti-slavery activist

ABOUT THE GOVERNOR GENERAL

Michaëlle Jean receives an honorary degree from the University of Alberta in 2008

Jean Augustine, first black MP

Violet King: first Canadian Black woman called to the bar

DISTINGUISHED WOMEN

Portia White, famous Black opera singer

Rosemary Brown: first Black woman in the BC legislature

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Anne Cools: first black Senator

Mary Ann Shadd: first woman newspaper editor in Canada

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean – A Distinguished Canadian

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, CC, CMM, COM, CD, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada has graciously given her name to this unique Chair. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she immigrated to Canada with her family in 1968, fleeing the dictatorial regime of the time. In September 2005, she became Canada’s 27th Governor General.

Jean has won numerous awards for her humanitarian work and continues to advocate for a brighter future for the world. In September 2005, Michaëlle Jean became Canada’s 27th Governor General.

Jean pursued master’s studies in comparative literature, is fluent in five languages and is an advocate for many humanitarian causes. She has had a recognized career as a highlyregarded journalist and anchor of news and public affairs programs at Radio-Canada and CBC Newsworld. She also took part in documentary films produced by her husband, filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, all of which earned recognition both nationally and internationally. 5 F a c ul t y of E duc a t i on

DARE TO DISCOVER

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

Edmonton’s CariWest Festival, 2008

President and Vice-Chancellor Indira V. Samarasekera

A Message from the President of the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta’s vision is to inspire the

human spirit through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and citizenship in a creative community, building one of the world’s great universities for the public good. This ethic of public service has been a foundational value of the U of A since its inception in 1908 under the leadership of Henry Marshall Tory, who believed that the university should be for the “uplifting of the whole people.” Today, the U of A serves more than 36,500 students in more than 200 undergraduate programs and 170 graduate programs. This diversity reflects the multiple needs, interests and perspectives of our students who aspire to broaden their knowledge and skills in areas as various as Aboriginal history, chronic illness, acting, oil sands technology and entrepreneurship. The U of A is one of Canada’s leading academic U n ive r si t y o f Al b erta 6

institutions, with an international profile of excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, engineering and health sciences. We are home to world-renown researchers and celebrated teachers who create and disseminate knowledge and provide leadership in areas of concern through local and global communities. One of our key goals as we enter our second century is to position the U of A amongst the world’s best public institutions. The establishment of the Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies is a critical part of this endeavour. The Chair will be housed jointly in the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education. Scholars in each Faculty will work together to build intellectual capacity at the U of A and nationally by illuminating Black contributions to Canadian society.

Senator Donald Oliver

In 1990, Senator Donald H. Oliver, Q.C., BA (Hon.), LLB, LLD (Hon.) was the first Black man in Canadian history to be summoned to the Senate. In the 30 years prior, he was a successful trial lawyer in Nova Scotia, a university professor, an author of a bestselling cookbook and an accomplished businessman. One of the highlights of his service was becoming the founding President and Director of the Society for the Protection and Preservation of Black Culture in Nova Scotia.

Dr. Dolores Sandoval

Professor Emerita at the University of Vermont, Dolores Sandoval was Assistant to the President for Human Resources and Associate Professor of Education. Her activities include a children’s book set in Sierra Leone and a biographical play. She was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Vermont (1988 & 1990). In 2006, she founded the DaCosta Angelique Institute (Canada’s first Black think tank) with a mission to establish an immigrant museum in Montréal.

Mrs. Mairuth Sarsfield

has been an author, journalist, researcher and television personality. She worked for the Canadian Government’s External Affairs Department and served as an Associate Director with the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, where she developed and launched a worldwide campaign called “For Every Child a Tree.” Her novel, No Crystal Stair, was chosen for inclusion in CBC’s Canada Reads in 2005 and was awarded the National Congress of Black Women Foundation’s First Literary Award.

Mr. Paul Winn

began his career writing and hosting the weekly CBC program The Canadians, which looked at multicultural communities in Canada. Winn went on to work with the Canadian government as Acting Director Federal Provincial/Territorial Relations for the National Literacy Secretariat and as Chief Operation Officer of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Winn began practicing law in 1999 and is President and Chief Operating Officer of the Great Little Water Company.

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DARE TO DISCOVER

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

Arts Building, University of Alberta

Edmonton’s CariWest Festival, 2008

Community Co-Chairs Dr. Sylvia D. Hamilton

is a multi award-winning Nova Scotian filmmaker and writer known for her documentary films, publications and mentoring of young people. Her films include the Gemini Award-winning Speak It! From the Heart of Black Nova Scotia and Black Nova Scotia: The Little Black School House. She is the recipient of two honorary degrees and held the distinguished Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University.

Mr. Denham Jolly

is a successful entrepreneur and recognized philanthropist. Jolly has been president and principal shareholder of Denham Corporation Ltd. and Tyndall Nursing Home Ltd. since 1968, and owns a number of real estate properties in the Metropolitan Toronto and Mississauga areas. In 2000, Jolly became the first Black person in Canada to receive a radio station license, and is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Milestone Radio Inc.

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Justice Lionel Jones

is a Retired Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and former Provincial Crown Prosecutor. A native of Alberta, Jones earned the distinction of becoming the first Black male lawyer to be admitted to the Bar in Alberta in 1963. During his long and distinguished career, Jones has also spent time as a sessional lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, and in the Law Enforcement Program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.

Mr. Burnley Jones

is a managing lawyer of his own law firm. Related to his legal career, Jones developed Kwacha House, Eastern Canada’s first inner city self-help program, and served as the Executive Director of Real Opportunities for Prisoner Employment. Jones has also been involved in promoting African Nova Scotian culture, teaching history to African-Canadian and First Nations peoples at Dalhousie University, and creating an oral history project called the Hero Project on Black Culture.

Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Education

“This Chair will explore the Canadian experiences and contributions of the Caribbean and African diasporas. New research and collaboration will impact policy change through a solid, shared understanding of the past.”

“This is an exciting venture that will offer our students, faculty and professional partners unique opportunities to better understand a complex and heterogeneous group of people.”

- Interim Dean Colleen Skidmore

The Faculty of Arts is one of the oldest and most diverse Faculties on campus. It has numerous centres and institutes that conduct research, coordinate interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary studies, and network with other universities in Canada and abroad. First and foremost, the Faculty of Arts is committed to providing a broad-based liberal arts education that prepares students to be leaders, innovators and globally-minded citizens.

- Dean Fern Snart

In 1942, the Faculty of Education became the first such Faculty in Canada. Today, the Faculty is one of the largest in Canada. It is home to world-class researchers and teachers, and regularly produces graduates who continue to make a difference in educational and professional spheres across the globe. The Faculty of Education continues to take an innovative approach towards teaching its students to be leaders in the invaluable field of education.

Edmonton, Alberta Alberta’s sizable African and Caribbean population, as well as its intriguing Black history, makes the University of Alberta an ideal location to host the Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies. 7 F a c ul t y of Ar t s

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

Faculty of Education students in Ghana

Community Co-Chairs

group of enthusiastic Canadians, led by Edmontonian Dr. Fil Fraser, has taken on the task of raising the required funds for the Michaëlle Jean Chair in Canadian Caribbean and African Diasporic Studies. Dr. Felix (Fil) Fraser

is a prominent Canadian writer, broadcaster, film and television producer, and a member of the Order of Canada. Fraser also has played a leading role in public policy development as a member of the Spicer Commission, the Federal Task Force on Broadcasting Policy, the Canadian Multiculturalism Council and the Alberta Task Force on Film. In addition to his recent term as president and CEO of Vision TV, he has authored two best selling works, Alberta’s Camelot – Culture and the Arts in the Lougheed Years and Running Uphill – the Fast, Short Life of Harry Jerome, a biography of the Canadian Olympic sprinter. In 2008, Fraser was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Alberta. Baseball team, Amber Valley, Alberta

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Ms. Zanana L. Akande

made history by becoming the first Black person to be elected to the Ontario legislature and the first to hold a cabinet post in Canada. She has taught at York University, the University of Toronto, and Royal Roads University in British Columbia. During her career she designed and coordinated programs for pupils with special needs, has been responsible for the redirection of large inner city schools with culturally diverse populations, and worked on the Roundtable on Anti-Racism.

Dr. George Elliott Clarke

is a poet, playwright, literary critic and the E.J. Pratt Professor of Canadian literature at the University of Toronto. He has published writings in a variety of genres including verse, plays and a critically acclaimed opera, Beatrice Chancy, about slavery in Nova Scotia in the early 1800s. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in promoting other Canadian writers of African descent, and has received three honorary degrees and a Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award.

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