African American Politics: The Black Studies Perspective

Locating Diaspora: Afro-Caribbean Narratives of Migration and Settlement in Toronto, 1914–1929

“…less explicit." 56 This may have been in part the result of the relatively small numbers of Afro-Caribbeans and Afro-Canadians in Toronto at the time. Upon her arrival from Jamaica in 1920, Violet Blackman was immediately struck by the modest black presence in the city.…”

“…As historian Keith Henry suggests, by 1919 "the West Indian presence in Toronto was unmistakable." 19 Many of those who did settle permanently in Toronto remained actively engaged in the Caribbean and black diasporas in North America. This makes 1920s Toronto a particularly interesting place to study the black immigrant experience, for with a population much smaller than that of New York, Afro-Caribbeans in Toronto faced unique conditions that forced them to come to terms with their new environment, communities, and identifications in ways that were different from those elsewhere in the diaspora.…”

“…The UNIA formally arrived in Toronto in 1919 as "a well-conceived vehicle for fears, hopes and ambitions that had already crystallized." 121 To Harry Gairey, a "humble black fellow in the street," Garvey gave "a real bit of hope. He said get brains, get learning, go to school, learn."…”