Trading Incognito: The Forgotten History of Black Fur Traders

Fur trading is at the heart of Canada’s history. In fact, you might say that Canada was invented because of fur trading. For decades, we have been learning about fur traders as a sort of cowboy of the northern frontier: heroic, independent, trailblazing. But in recent years, we have been reconsidering our historical representations, particularly with respect to Indigenous peoples and how they have impacted and been impacted by this formative industry. Another area that has long been overlooked is the presence of Black people during the fur trading era. For example, who has heard of Glasgow Crawford or the Bonga brothers? Join renowned poet, writer and educator Bertrand Bickersteth as he explores the surprising history of Black fur traders in Western Canada.

Date: Sunday, Feb. 11

Time: 2 – 3:30 pm

Location: Railway Orientation Centre, located inside the Railway Café building

Price: Free, advance registration required

Parking: Parking is free for the first 90 minutes. Guests are still required to enter their license plate into our parking machines. Click here for more information.

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