Archives of Manitoba

"Back Tracks to Railroad Ties" exhibit and black history research collection

[19--]-1996

42 cm of textual records
19 exhibit panels
11 photographs

Collection documents research into the black community in Manitoba and Canada, much of which was done to prepare for an exhibit at the Manitoba Museum in 1994 entitled "Back Tracks to Railroad Ties: The First Journey, The Early History of Black People in Canada" which was guest curated by Patricia Clements. Collection includes planning notes and exhibit panels from the exhibit, photocopies of material used in researching the exhibit, photographs, newsletters, newspaper clippings and other reference material related to black history.

Collection also includes oral history transcripts created as part of the "Immigration and Settlement of Black Trainmen in Manitoba" oral history project. Twenty-one individuals were interviewed about their experiences before immigrating to Winnipeg, their life in the city and what it was like to work for the railway in the early twentieth century. The interviews were conducted by Patricia Clements, Celina Clements and Charlotte Borden in 1993.

There are no restrictions on access to these records.

Researchers are responsible for observing copyright legislation. Permission may be required for any form of publication or exhibition where records are not in the public domain.

Records were deposited at the Archives of Manitoba by Pat Clements in 1997 and were donated to the Archives of Manitoba in 2004. The copy of the photograph of John A. Robinson was donated to the Archives of Manitoba by Saje Mathieu in 2010.

The Manitoba Museum holds other material related to the "Back Tracks to Railroad Ties" exhibit, including several hundred photographic negatives, as well as the audio recordings of the "Immigration and Settlement of Black Trainmen in Manitoba" oral history project.

The Archives of Manitoba also holds the Improved, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World, Menelik Lodge no. 528 fonds, the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees, Division 130 fonds, and the Porters' Social and Charitable Association fonds.

Previously described as part of the Black Community in Winnipeg fonds.