Portraits – Stories of Black Canadian Military Service
From pre-Confederation conflicts through to the war in Afghanistan, Black Canadians have a proud tradition of military service. They have fought and died for freedom abroad, even as they have struggled against discrimination at home.
Portraits – Stories of Black Canadian Military Service, a new travelling exhibition circulated by the Canadian War Museum, celebrates the contributions of Black Canadians in the military through compelling accounts of service and sacrifice from across the country.
The exhibition highlights the contributions and experiences of Black men and women from Nova Scotia and southern Ontario — two historic centres of Black migration — as well as from other parts of Canada.
Visitors will recognize familiar names and events, such as the story of William Hall, one of Canada’s first recipients of the Victoria Cross. They will also discover many lesser-known stories, like that of Connie and Kathleen Brown, twin sisters who served during the Second World War.
Guelph Museums has developed a unique, localized chapter within the national narrative of the touring exhibition. This addendum focuses on the history of Black military service and migration to Guelph, Ontario, including the story of First World War servicemen Henry Francis Courtney, Victor Goines, Gordon Goines, and Tom Malott who served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the largest all-Black unit in Canadian military history.
Portraits – Stories of Black Canadian Military Service was developed by the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa in partnership with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, Halifax and the Niagara Military Museum, Niagara Falls.
