The Kids Book of Black History in Canada

Sadlier is a well-known scholar of Black history in Canada and the author of several books for children, including Tubman: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad (1997), Mary Ann Shadd (1995) and Leading the Way: Black Women in Canada (1994). The present volume is an updated version of the 2003 edition published under the title The Kids Book of Black Canadian History. The current edition has a new illustrator whose vibrant illustrations and maps add immensely to the beauty and appeal of the book.

The volume presents a concise overview of the long history of Black peoples in the Americas and particularly in what is now Canada. Content is presented in a largely chronological sequence that emphasizes the various waves of arrival and sometimes departure of Black people. Sadlier includes contextual grounding by starting with the Atlantic slave trade and the introduction of enslaved Africans to the colonies that European powers established in the Americas. Many of the earliest Black people in New France and early British Canada were enslaved. Following the American war for independence, Black Loyalists arrived in the Maritimes. During the War of 1812, Black volunteers, including some Black Americans, joined the British, Canadian and the Indigenous forces. Some were part of a Black Corps, but others were part of mostly white military units. Veterans were offered land in Upper Canada and in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The book is laid out in short chapters that usually comprise a double page spread that contains a bold topical title such as “Life in Canada West”, a short introduction to the topic, five or six sub-topics, a profile of a person of historic significance from the period, a map if relevant and at least two illustrations. Many chapters include a “Did You Know” sidecircle featuring a historic fact or person of interest. A chapter on the Underground Railroad extends to four pages and, towards the end of the book, chapters that honour Black heritage all year and a collection of biographical profiles of living Black Canadians who have achieved success in their varied fields extend to four or six pages. The layout and design are attractive and inviting.

While many readers will be familiar with the operations of the Underground Railroad, few may know about the Black settlers of the prairies and Vancouver Island. Issues such as discrimination and the struggle for full rights and opportunities are all covered in the volume. One shortcoming is that the modern period of immigration from Africa in the post 1980 period is given minimal coverage as it is grouped with discussion of Caribbean migration to Canada in the 1950s-1970s. Both of these periods deserve their own double page spread.

The Kids Book of Black History in Canada includes a brief glossary and a substantial index. This is an essential book for all Canadian elementary schools and public libraries. Readers will find it an excellent starting place for studying the contributions of Black people to Canadian society.