Black History Ottawa is educating the city about local history with an interactive History in the Streets Bus Tour, every Saturday this summer.
The tour showcases the contributions of Black Canadians in Ottawa’s rich history, from athletes to politicians to activists and medical professionals.
Names mentioned include Rawlson King, the first Black Canadian city councillor in Ottawa in 2019, Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, and Chloe Cooley, a woman who bravely resisted slavery and an abolitionist in the 18th century.
Participants are taken on a ride around downtown Ottawa, including stops at the Rockcliffe lookout and the National Cenotaph.
The tour is held at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each weekend and offers intersectional details connecting historical people and places around the city. It lasts about two hours.
On a recent Saturday, Abena Mon Louis led the tour, which began at Ottawa City Hall. Her friendly and positive demeanour helped her engage with children and adults alike.
I think a lot of people from all ages could benefit from the tour and will enjoy the tour. Black history isn’t just about Black people, it’s about the celebration of everyone, and it’s everyone’s history.
Anne Harewood
Kids can have fun while learning about the city’s history, thanks to interactive activities and pop quizzes on the fun facts they learned. Participants were given “Passport” booklets to take notes with, including activity pages for the kids and souvenir magnets to commemorate the experience.
Mon Louis said hearing anecdotes from tour participants completes the educational experience.
“The guests add so much value to the conversations we’re having. They’re able to pinpoint times in history and also apply themselves in the tour,” Mon Louis said.
There is something for everyone, as the tour appeals to people of all ages. It was truly a family affair on July 27, when the Harewood family took the tour.
The Harewoods are heavily involved in the Ottawa community and have deep family ties with many of the people whose contributions contributed to the city’s Black culture.
Anne Harewood works for the City of Ottawa as a specialist in strategic programs and projects for community safety and well-being. She and her siblings, Patricia and Adrian Harewood, brought their children out to see the tour after their father John Harewood told them about it.
Anne said she believes the tour is a great way to share Black history and culture with Ottawa.
“I’m really glad that Black History Ottawa had the foresight to make it happen during a month that’s not during Black History Month, so that it’s normalized and incorporated into the culture,” she said.
John is president of the Black Canadian Scholarship Fund and an important member of the Black community in Ottawa. Dr. Horace Alexis created the fund in 1996.
“So many people who were spoken about are people who we know personally, and who have influenced our lives. It’s just amazing to have that connection and know that these individuals made a significant contribution to Black history and the history of Canada,” Anne said.
One such connection can be found at the Jack Purcell Community Centre, the first location of the Harambee Education Centre, founded by May Frith in 1987. The Harewood family was involved with the centre at its conception.
The Harewoods also have a family connection with Myrtha Lapierre who from 1961-1997 taught nursing. LaPierre was the first Black francophone nurse in the Ottawa area and earned the Order of Ontario in 2018. She was also the Harewood’s next-door neighbour for many years.
The Harewoods had positive feedback for the tour and wish to see it continue.
“I think a lot of people from all ages could benefit from the tour and will enjoy the tour. Black history isn’t just about Black people, it’s about the celebration of everyone, and it’s everyone’s history,” Anne said.
The tour debuted in June, said Jean-Marie Guerrier, vice president of Black History Ottawa.
The organization partnered with African-Canadian researchers, the Historical Society of Ottawa and the history department at Carleton University to research the history displayed by the tour. They also interviewed members of the community.
“We wanted to make something interactive and engaging. We wanted people to see the sites”, said Guerrier. “We wanted people to feel connected to the city.”
Mon Louis said she’s proud to carry on the legacy of her community.
‘It’s important to me to be a representation of my community. It’s important for people to see that this is something that you can do. You can be someone who brings the community together through engagement.”
Guerrier said he hopes to continue the tour each summer. He wants people to know that there is more to Black history in Ottawa than meets the eye.
“Black Canadians have been here for a long time, and not only as some that escaped slavery, but as builders in the community.”
“We have been contributing to this country, and we continue to contribute to this country, and with this tour, we want people to feel proud to learn about this connection and to learn about the history.”
