{"id":15044,"date":"2024-11-24T10:19:09","date_gmt":"2024-11-24T16:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/?p=15044"},"modified":"2024-11-24T10:19:11","modified_gmt":"2024-11-24T16:19:11","slug":"racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history","title":{"rendered":"Racism and Resistance: The Dark Chapters of Calgary and Alberta\u2019s History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The dark history of Alberta\u2019s prairies is not widely known. It is absent from school curricula and mainstream narratives about Alberta. However, like any other place on Earth, Alberta has its secrets and historical episodes it is not proud of. Denying these events is futile; instead, they must be acknowledged to ensure they are never repeated. Learn more on <a href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/\">icalgary<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a07d7c8b1cb6\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a07d7c8b1cb6\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history\/#The_Wave_of_Black_Immigrants\" >The Wave of Black Immigrants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history\/#Public_Backlash\" >Public Backlash<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history\/#Government_Response\" >Government Response<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history\/#Black_Organizations_and_Resistance\" >Black Organizations and Resistance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/eternal-racism-and-resistance-the-dark-chapters-of-calgary-and-albertas-history\/#Ongoing_Racism\" >Ongoing Racism<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Wave_of_Black_Immigrants\"><\/span>The Wave of Black Immigrants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Between 1896 and 1914, the federal government launched a campaign called &#8220;Last Best West&#8221; to develop Western Canada\u2019s agriculture. The campaign encouraged farmers from Eastern Canada, Britain, and the United States to move to Western Canada, where they were promised free land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"773\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090637\/1-4.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15045\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090637\/1-4.png 773w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090637\/1-4-300x174.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090637\/1-4-768x445.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090637\/1-4-696x403.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 773px) 100vw, 773px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1907, Oklahoma became a state in the United States. Many African Americans living there decided to leave to escape potential attacks from radical racists. They were drawn to Canada, particularly the free land offered by the government. Over the years, more than one million American farmers moved to Western Canada. Communities like Wildwood, Breton (Keystone), Campsie, and Amber Valley in Alberta were established predominantly by Black settlers. Families also moved to growing cities in the province, such as Fort Macleod, Fort Saskatchewan, Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Calgary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090636\/2-13.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090636\/2-13.jpg 950w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090636\/2-13-238x300.jpg 238w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090636\/2-13-768x970.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090636\/2-13-696x879.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, some local organizations and members of the community opposed this wave of immigrants, actively expressing their dissatisfaction with Black settlers. The Canadian government had not anticipated that &#8220;Last Best West&#8221; would attract so many Black individuals, leading to societal conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the challenges, some Black immigrants made significant contributions to Alberta&#8217;s history and development. Prominent figures included John Ware, Daniel Lewis, and Annie Saunders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>John Ware was one of Alberta\u2019s most renowned cowboys and ranch owners. He arrived in 1882 as part of a group transporting 3,000 cattle southwest of Calgary. Ware decided to stay, founding his own ranch in Millarville in 1900.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daniel Lewis, a carpenter, arrived in Alberta with his family in 1889. His daughter Mildred later married John Ware. Lewis was a skilled craftsman, creating intricate wooden details for the homes of Calgary\u2019s wealthy residents. Some reports suggest he contributed to the construction of the famous Lougheed House in 1891.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annie Saunders worked as a nurse caring for the children of Colonel James F. Macleod. Later, she managed a laundry, restaurant, and boarding house for children in Pincher Creek.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Public_Backlash\"><\/span>Public Backlash<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The new settlers faced numerous challenges. They had to work tirelessly to cultivate Alberta&#8217;s hard and arid land while also confronting widespread societal intolerance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1120\" height=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15051\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10-768x1097.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10-1075x1536.jpg 1075w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090634\/3-10-696x994.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Edmonton Board of Trade lobbied against Black immigration, creating a petition signed by approximately 3,000 people and endorsed by the Calgary, Morinville, and Fort Saskatchewan Boards of Trade. This petition was sent to Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some organizations in Alberta, such as the women\u2019s charity Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE), sent letters to the government expressing their dissatisfaction. These letters claimed that the influx of African Americans would deter white settlers from moving nearby. IODE and the United Farmers\u2019 Association also sent letters citing allegations of sexual misconduct by African Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Government_Response\"><\/span>Government Response<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The government eventually canceled its broad advertising campaign. However, how could officials delicately convey that Western prairies were only welcoming to white farmers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier approved an <strong>Order-in-Council<\/strong> proposing to ban Black immigration for one year. However, the order never came into effect due to Canada\u2019s fear of jeopardizing trade negotiations with the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, the government covertly worked against Black immigration. Canadian officials were sent to the U.S. to discourage African Americans from moving to Canada. The Department of Immigration introduced strict medical examinations for African Americans, giving border officials the authority to deny entry. Additionally, doctors were offered bonuses for each African American they persuaded not to enter the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Black_Organizations_and_Resistance\"><\/span>Black Organizations and Resistance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In Alberta\u2019s Black communities, societies formed in the early 20th century to unite Black residents and support one another in politics, art, religion, and culture. Most of these organizations were based in Edmonton, which had the largest Black population and served as the hub for several vibrant rural Black communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1914, the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) was established in Jamaica to advocate for the rights of Black people. By the 1930s, 15 UNIA branches had opened across Canada, including in Calgary and Edmonton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calgary also had the Coloured People\u2019s Protective Association, which hosted a ball in October 1910 attended by 150 people, including many white allies who supported the marginalized community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These organizations emerged as acts of resistance against discrimination. However, some individuals also responded to racism independently. For example, in 1914, Charles Daniels, a Black man, purchased tickets to a production of King Lear at Calgary&#8217;s Grand Theatre. When he arrived, he was denied his assigned seat and told to sit in the segregated \u201ccoloured\u201d section. Daniels subsequently sued the theatre owner and director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1567\" height=\"1134\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15054\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10.jpg 1567w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10-768x556.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10-1536x1112.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.icalgary.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/11\/17090633\/4-10-696x504.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1567px) 100vw, 1567px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ongoing_Racism\"><\/span>Ongoing Racism<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the formation of social organizations, racism persisted. In 1920, 472 white residents of Calgary\u2019s Victoria Park neighborhood gathered a few blocks from the Lougheed House to draft a petition asking the city council to prohibit Black individuals from purchasing homes in their neighborhood and relocate those already living there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>City authorities consulted other Canadian cities and found no precedent for banning or segregating Black residents. Subsequently, petitioners formed a special committee comprising city council members, petition authors, two Black men, and their lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Black residents of Victoria Park were unwilling to leave but agreed to discourage other Black individuals from moving to the area. The city opted for a covert resolution to the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Black Calgarians continued to face hostility. Labor unions typically hired only white workers, and Black employees who managed to secure jobs often endured harassment. Restaurants frequently refused to serve them. However, Chinese cafe owners in Calgary welcomed Black patrons during the 1920s and 1930s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These examples are just a fraction of the systemic racism prevalent in early 20th-century Alberta. They highlight the attitudes of white settlers and individuals in Calgary toward Black communities. This history of oppression serves as a reminder that societal injustices, past and present, must be recognized, confronted, and corrected.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The dark history of Alberta\u2019s prairies is not widely known. It is absent from school curricula and mainstream narratives about Alberta. However, like any other place on Earth, Alberta has its secrets and historical episodes it is not proud of. Denying these events is futile; instead, they must be acknowledged to ensure they are never [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":521,"featured_media":15057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4818],"tags":[6833,6830,6839,6828,6834,6838,6840,6826,6835,6836,6837,6827,6829,6832,6831],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[6578],"moimportance":[32,35],"class_list":{"0":"post-15044","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cultural","8":"tag-african-american-settlers","9":"tag-alberta-black-communities","10":"tag-alberta-historical-racism","11":"tag-alberta-last-best-west","12":"tag-alberta-segregation-history","13":"tag-alberta-universal-negro-improvement-association","14":"tag-black-pioneers-in-alberta","15":"tag-black-resistance-in-calgary","16":"tag-calgary-coloured-peoples-protective-association","17":"tag-calgary-racial-discrimination","18":"tag-calgary-victoria-park-racism","19":"tag-charles-daniels-lawsuit","20":"tag-john-ware-alberta","21":"tag-racism-in-alberta","22":"tag-racism-in-calgary-history","23":"motype-eternal","24":"moformat-s-l","25":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/521"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15044"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15060,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15044\/revisions\/15060"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15044"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=15044"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=15044"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icalgary.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=15044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}