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Due to past collecting practices and the history of record creation in Ontario, many records that document Black histories were created by members of the historically dominant European/white societies in the province.
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Gather information such as: 1. name(s) 2. approximate year of birth 3. country of birth 4. approximate year of arrival 5. place of residence in Canada
Major historical events involving Black Canadians include:Consider neighbourhoods and communities. It was common for Black migrants to settle in the same areas. You may be able to find your ancestors by looking geographically.Spelling was not standardized, and the same names might be written in many different ways.Digitized records
If you find a record of interest, there may be a digital image. Some of these are available through Collection Search. Others, particularly digitized microfilms, are available through Héritage.
Records that are not digitized
For records that are not digitized, you will need to see them in person. If you cannot visit us in person, you may want to order copies or hire a researcher.
For an example of the experiences of formerly enslaved who escaped to Canada, see the Reminiscences of Green Thurman and Isaac Renfrew (MG29-C9).Feb 12, 2024 · (Archives of Ontario) Digital mapping of Black migrations allows us to centre Black historical presence in public memory and examine Black oral narratives outside their abolitionist framing.
- Black geographies, Canadian myths. Scholars such as Katherine McKittrick, professor and Canada research chair in Black Studies, have highlighted how understanding Black history means being attentive to how geography, culture and race intersect in the formation of Black communities.
- Digital Black history projects. The Black Londoners Project approaches Black history geographically by supplementing the narratives of 16 Black refugees from slavery and racial oppression in the U.S. with archival evidence (among others, personal narratives, census information and newspaper articles) of their lives in London, Ont.
- Black oral history, digital mapping. Digital mapping of Black migrations allows us to centre Black historical presence in public memory and examine Black oral narratives outside of their abolitionist framing.
- Aurelia Jones. Through A. B. Jones’s account, we learned of his spouse, Aurelia Jones (née Bonsor), in the marriage register of Upper Canada/Canada West.
This quick guide will direct researchers to resources on Black History at the Simcoe County Archives. Black people have been building lives in North America for as long as there has been a colonial presence here, however, Simcoe County Archives hold very few records that predate the 1830’s.
Jul 12, 2022 · Ontario Black Africans. Most of Ontario's black settlements were in and around Windsor, Chatham, London, St Catharines and Hamilton. Toronto had a black district, and there were smaller concentrations of blacks near Barrie, Owen Sound and Guelph.
Multicultural History Society of Ontario. Toronto has had an African Canadian population from its early days as a settlement. Its inhabitants included enslaved women, men, and children, Black Loyalists, and African Americans escaping enslavement in the United States.
