Public History Winner 2022
Derailed: The History of Black Railway Porters in Canada
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Derailed: The History of Black Railway Porters In Canada, a project nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards, Toronto, 2021. Courtesy of Myseum Toronto
Derailed: The History of Black Railway Porters In Canada, a project nominated for the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards. Courtesy of Myseum Toronto
Winner: 2022 Public History Award
Project Organization: Myseum of Toronto
Project Website: Derailed: The History of Black Railway Porters in Canada
Date of Release: November 30, 2021
“Derailed: The History of Black Railway Porters in Canada” is a digital multimedia exhibition that captures the lived experiences of the Black railway porters and their often under-told narrative, through the use of theatrical performances, interviews, mediascapes, and archival content. The exhibition highlights the important role that Black railway porters played in the history of the city, province, and across the country.
This program allows for attendees to experience a new and innovative way of interacting with history. Instead of simply watching a theatrical interpretation or hearing a lecture or reading, this multimedia digital exhibition captures the performances and integrates them into a transformative experience that brings the history and real life stories of the Black railway porters to life.
From the late 1800s to mid-1900s, Canada’s Black railway porters were a group of workers who disrupted the system, becoming instrumental in leading the fight for fair employment practices and anti-discriminatory laws. This multimedia digital exhibit and online program looks at the lives of these pioneers whose tireless work, on and off the track, was instrumental in paving a new path for greater equality in Canada.
Jurors found this exhibition to be the epitome of a public history project. The exhibition provides an innovative way of delivering important stories to a diverse audience. The project also ties the legacy of Black porters to the present in an engaging way, which the jurors believed is especially important in highlighting the significance of history as a field.
Additional Project Team Members
Panelists: Cecil Foster (Author, They Call Me George), Meagan Swaby (Playwright, Venus’ Daughter), Natasha Henry (President, Ontario Black History Society) Andria Babbington, John Cartwright Partner: Toronto & York Region Labour Council, Derailed Digital Exhibit Curator: Cecil Foster Playwright: Meghan Swaby Director: Byron Kent Wong Partners: Zero11Zero, Iron Bay Media, Union Performer: Peter Bailey (Actor) Moderator: Cheryl Blackman (Director, Museums and Heritage Services, City of Toronto)