“The Crafty Navigators", detail of a portrait of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn by Quentin VerCetty, 2021. Courtesy of BSAM Canada. |
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Unveiling Heroes of the Block |
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We're excited to launch our latest digital program which highlights the lasting legacy of our city's Black leaders, and accompanies a public art installation by the Black Speculative Arts Movement (BSAM) Canada. Take the tour and uncover stories of eight Black Canadians that helped shaped the city over the past 250 years, re-envisioned as real-world superheroes by Toronto's artists.
Among the stories featured is that of Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, who escaped slavery in the US and settled in Toronto. In 1837, they founded Toronto's first taxi service. Its red and yellow colours would later be adopted by the TTC. The business was a success and with their wealth the Blackburns invested in property, providing low-rent homes to other freedom-seekers and newcomers.
For the project, artist Quentin VerCetty created The Crafty Navigators, depicting the Blackburns in Victorian garments with steampunk-inspired technology: "Together, they stand proudly similar to The American Gothic, the 1930 painting by Grant Wood, to symbolize Black excellence during that time.”
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This online tour was developed by Nicole Markland, as part of the Emerging Historians program supported by: |
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Crothers Woods, May 11, 2019. Image by Ellen Schwartzel. Courtesy of the Toronto Field Naturalists. |
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Discovering our Natural Heritage: Toronto's Ravines |
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Wednesday, March 23 | 6:00 PM
ZOOM
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Join us for a virtual talk on Toronto’s ravine landscapes. These sanctuaries for wildlife also protect the city against flooding and provide vital recreation spaces. Learn how the ravines are changing and responding to numerous pressures, and how you can explore and help protect them.
Presenter Ellen Schwartzel has a 23 year-career in environmental policy, and is currently the President of the Toronto Field Naturalists.
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The 1928 Olympic gold-winning 4 x 100-metre relay team, including Fannie "Bobbie" Rosenfeld. |
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Favourite plaque becomes timely with women's sports, Ukraine |
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In 2021, we added 44 new plaques to Toronto’s streets, bringing our impressive collection to about 900. We recognize that some of our plaques reflect a narrow view of history or are physically worn. We are committed to a review process to refresh these plaques, but as a charity, we must also raise funds to accelerate this work.
With International Women's Day on March 8, we highlight one of these updated plaques about the remarkable career of Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfield. In addition to describing her athletic and journalistic achievements, during which she advanced women's sports, expanded content includes her family's migration to Canada, fleeing antisemitism in the Ukraine.
The Rosenfeld plaque provides timely connections to recent events, from Canada's success at the Beijing Olympics, to the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the plight of war refugees, to the despicable antisemitic acts witnessed in our own schools and communities.
The updated plaque will be installed this spring. Below we highlight two other plaques that also feature stories from our city's Ukrainian community.
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Location: 26 Denison Square
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The Kiever Synagogue, built in 1927, was designed by Jewish architect Benjamin Swartz for a small congregation of Orthodox Jewish immigrants who had fled oppression in Kiever Gubernia, Ukraine. Its architecture blends Romanesque and Byzantine styles and features twin domed towers crowned by the Star of David. |
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St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral |
Location: 110 Franklin Avenue |
Originally built in 1913 for one of the first Ukrainian congregations in Toronto, the interior work on St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral took an additional 27 years to complete. After a fire destroyed the cathedral in 1964, a new church was built in the Modernist style on the same site and opened in 1965. |
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Staff and volunteers, St. James Town tour, August 15, 2021. Image: Nader Gorgi |
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Become a Heritage Toronto volunteer |
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Join us on Monday, March 21 for an online discussion of our fantastic volunteer program and why it is a great opportunity to get outside, explore the city's history and meet new people. |
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Step Forward into History - Making the Joshua Glover Monument |
Our plaque on freedom-seeker Joshua Glover is installed at Joshua Glover Park, at the heart of which is an inspiring monument by Quentin VerCetty. Learn more about the artwork - the artist's inspiration, the journey to get it made during a global pandemic, and its importance to our city's public art and monuments in a new documentary produced by Quentin and featuring our Board Chair, Liza Chalaidopoulos.
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The Heritage Reset - Call for presentations |
The National Trust and CAHP are looking for presenters to explore the transformation of the heritage sector during their 2022 national conference happening in Toronto this October. Themes include heritage's role in issues like climate change, reconciliation, affordable housing, social justice, economic resiliency, and more. The deadline for submissions is April 8.
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The Cultural Districts Program aims to protect historical business communities like Chinatown and Little Jamaica from large developers. (Toronto Star)
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Black community leaders who work in health speak about the impact of the pandemic and how they see Black History Month. (Toronto Star) |
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Report examines the questions of what we gain from having more Black women in politics, and why aren’t there as many as there could be. (TVO)
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