Discover Library and Archives Canada

[http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/f1/portertalk_300en.jpg] Discover Library and Archives Canada presents “Porter Talk.” This mini-series explores the lived experiences of Black men who laboured as porters for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways during the twentieth century. Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we explore who the porters were, where they came from, and how they found themselves on the rails. (Episode 2 trailer) Transcript [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep2trailer_transcript_en.pdf] Narrator Biographies [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep2trailer_narratorbiographies_en.pdf]

[http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/f1/portertalk_300en.jpg] Discover Library and Archives Canada presents “Porter Talk.” This mini-series explores the lived experiences of Black men who laboured as porters for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways during the twentieth century. Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we delve into the life of the man who recorded the stories of the porters working on the rails. (Episode 1) Transcript [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep1_referencestranscript_en.pdf] Narrator Biographies [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep1_narratorbiographies_en.pdf]

[http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/f1/portertalk_300en.jpg] Discover Library and Archives Canada presents “Porter Talk.” This mini-series explores the lived experiences of Black men who laboured as porters for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways during the twentieth century. Stanley G. Grizzle, a Canadian Pacific Railway porter for twenty years as well as a celebrated activist, civil servant, and citizenship judge, was also an avid historian who went to great lengths to document and preserve Black History in Canada and beyond. His collection is now held at Library and Archives Canada. Join us as we delve into the man who turned the microphone over to the porters to record their experiences working on the rails. (Episode 1 trailer) Transcript [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep1trailer_transcript_en.pdf] Narrator Biographies [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalk_ep1trailer_narratorbiographies_en.pdf]

[http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/f1/portertalk_300en.jpg] Discover Library and Archives Canada presents “Porter Talk.” This mini-series explores the lived experiences of Black men who laboured as porters for both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways during the twentieth century. Their voices, along with those of their wives and children, relay stories of both hardship and resilience. (Podcast series trailer) Transcript [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalktrailer_trailertranscript_en.pdf] Narrator Biographies [https://media.blubrry.com/bac_lac/www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/e/f2/portertalktrailer_narratorbiographies_en.pdf]

[http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/800001/f1/treasures16_300en.jpg] The hammering of the last spike into the Canadian Pacific Railway expanded access to the nation immeasurably, physically and symbolically connecting it from coast to coast. While seen as a victory in the dominant narrative of Canada, it served as a catalyst for the mass displacement of Indigenous peoples and the exploitation and even death of labourers involved in the construction of the railway. Join us as Marcelle Cinq-Mars delves into the historic image depicting this moment, and we reflect on the real human cost that was paid in the name of progress.