Unveiling Black Pioneers montage at sxʷeŋxʷəŋ təŋəxʷ James Bay Branch, Greater Victoria Public Library

montage with text and portrait images, 1858 street scene in background

On June 11, 2022 the unveiling ceremony took place for this montage installed in the Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Study Room at the sxʷeŋxʷəŋ təŋəxʷ James Bay Branch, Greater Victoria Public Library.
In December 2020 we opened an online exhibit hosted by Digital Museums Canada (DMC). They now host over 500 exhibits, which includes a collection of Canadian Community Stories.
This Community Story about the Black pioneers who came to BC begins in 1858. It is a collection of 20 short stories with videos and archival images and documents to share their stories. In May 2018, we couldn’t have predicted that the opening of The Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Study Room at the James Bay Library would play such an important role in our project with DMC.
TODAY, we express our gratitude for our sponsors and in particular the creative talents of graphic designer Susie Jones, who has beautifully captured the spirit of the stories, the words, the images – and this montage is now an integral part of OUR community story!  About this project