The Afromusée, Montréal’s newest museum, honours and bears witness to Québéc’s Black history, people, traditions, and living culture.
For its first exhibit, the museum shines a light on the work of Montréal historian, educator, and author Dorothy W. Williams, with L’afrique Montréalaise: Dr Dorothy W. Williams, actrice de changements. The show includes fragments from her life and work.
Dr. Williams is highly respected in her community. A professor at Concordia University, she’s a fifth-generation Montrealer who has worked for four decades to bring Black Canadian stories to light. According to Statistics Canada, Black Canadians report more than 200 different ethnic or cultural origins in the 2016 census. 26.6% of Black Canadians live in Québéc.
Williams has published two books about the Black history of Montréal, an educational resource, and numerous articles and presentations. She also recently consulted on the CBC and BET television series The Porter, a look at the history of the primarily Black train car porters of the 1920s, who were poorly paid, overworked, and subject to racist behaviour from their white customers.
Catherine Fisher, blogger
Image: Attendees at the Afromusée grand opening, L’afrique Montréalaise: Dr Dorothy W. Williams, actrice de changements. Credit: Afromusée social media
