(And Where To Find Them In Little Canada)
On a treehouse in Little Niagara, guests of Little Canada will see the Black Lives Matter flag proudly on display. It is a nod to the Black history and stories woven throughout the experience, featuring people and moments in time that paved the way in an ongoing fight for racial justice.
Here are just a few of the stories you should know—and where you can find them proudly represented in Little Canada:
The Act Against Slavery
More than 40 years before slavery was abolished in Canada, the 1793 Act Against Slavery became a landmark moment in the fight for freedom. This act, which was the first of its kind in the British Empire, set the stage for abolition. At the Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum—depicted in Little Niagara—find the printing press that made history. One of the oldest wooden presses in the world, it was used to print this groundbreaking legislation.
Find it in Little Canada: Look for the storied printing press outside the Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum in Little Niagara.
Red Cap Porters
In the early 1900s, Union Station hired Black men as Red Cap Porters to work on the railway and in sleeping cars. Being a porter was one of only a few jobs available to men of Caribbean or African descent at the time, regardless of their education and accomplishments. Facing racism and unfair working conditions, the porters mobilized, organized and unionized to improve wages and job protections. In April 1954, civil rights activist Donald W. Moore—along with a delegation of representatives from various associations, unions and organizations—boarded a train from Toronto’s Union Station to Ottawa. The goal? To lobby for changes to discriminatory immigration laws and address systemic inequalities that prevented the advancement of Black people in the workplace, and society at large. George Garraway became the first Black train conductor hired by CN Rail in 1955.
Find it in Little Canada: Look for the Monument to Multiculturalism sculpture by Francesco Perilli in front of Little Toronto’s Union Station, depicting a man and doves working together to build a new world of dialogue and mutual respect.
Thornton and Lucie Blackburn
Settling in Toronto after escaping enslavement in the 1830s, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn launched the city’s first-ever taxicab service. A horse-drawn cab and a carriage painted yellow with red trim, the taxi—named The City—launched in 1837. This marked the beginning of a successful business venture for the family, and the yellow and red colours used by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to this day. The influence of the Blackburns on Canadian history is profound, as their legal battle for freedom set a precedent that popularized Upper Canada as a destination on the Underground Railroad. Thornton and Lucie remained deeply involved in the abolitionist movement, using the wealth generated through their business ventures to actively support freedom seekers.
Find it in Little Canada: Find the yellow and red horse-drawn taxi cab outside of Little Toronto’s Union Station.
The Legacy of Stormé DeLarverie
A mural of Queer icon Stormé DeLarverie overlooks a gay bar in Little Toronto, honouring the role Black women have historically had in revolutions. According to Stormé and witnesses, her scuffle with police set off the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York City, a watershed moment that ignited the modern gay liberation movement. Though Stormé was not Canadian, her influence forever changed the fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights in the U.S. and Canada.
Find it in Little Canada: Seek out Little Canada’s tribute to Stormé in a joyful scene in Little Toronto.
Oscar Peterson, Jazz Legend
Regarded as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time and one of Canada’s most honoured musicians, Oscar Peterson brought global recognition to Canadian music. Born in Montréeal in 1925, Peterson began playing the piano at just 5 years old. He quickly developed a “command of the keyboard” and emerged as a celebrity in Montréal’s music scene in the 1940s. He went on to compose, record and perform alongside other jazz legends. Peterson’s contributions are honoured with a statue outside Canada’s National Arts Centre, unveiled in 2010 by Queen Elizabeth II. In Little Canada, an exact bronze replica of this statue can be found in Little Ottawa, celebrating his legacy and inviting visitors to discover his music.
Find it in Little Canada: Visit the Oscar Peterson statue in Little Ottawa to pay tribute to a Canadian jazz icon.
Marsha P. Johnson
A Black transgender woman, activist and drag performer, Marsha P. Johnson was a trailblazer for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and racial justice. Living in New York at a time when Queer people were criminalized for their presence, she co-founded the Gay Liberation Front and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. Through these organizations, Johnson worked tirelessly to support homeless Queer youth, sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS. She established herself as a prominent voice in the gay rights movement and a beloved drag performer, now remembered for her advocacy and impact.
Find it in Little Canada: Find Johnson on a mural in Little Ottawa, on display exclusively during Pride Month.
The Lost Community of Africville
Once a thriving Black community along Halifax’s Bedford Basin, Africville was home to generations of Black Canadians who built businesses, raised children and found community. In the 1960s, the city forcibly relocated residents and demolished homes under the guise of “urban renewal,” repurposing the land as Seaview Park. Now a recognized National Historic Site marked by a sundial-shaped monument commemorating the former community, Africville is described as “a symbol of African Canadian community organization and a site of pilgrimage for people honouring the struggle against racism.”
Find it in Little Canada: Find the Africville Museum in the Halifax area of Little East Coast.