Louise Umphreville: The Shining Star
In August of 1782, Fort York was captured by the French. Edward Umphreville and some other HBC men were taken by…
Stories categorized: People
Daughters of Shining Star
There are many notable women in Edmonton’s history books. The ‘Famous Five’ may come to mind straight away, in addition to…
Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher
My journey towards becoming an educator started in my childhood with time spent under a mango tree at my home…
Edmonton’s Caribbean Journey
The flights touched down at a Canadian International Airport bringing scores of eager Caribbean nationals, their suitcases packed with their…
Vivacious Caribbean Teachers
During the 1960s, school jurisdictions in Alberta advertised for teachers in leading newspapers and at teacher training colleges in the…
Sam the Shoemaker: Cobbling Together Community
It was the turbulent sixties. In the United States and Canada, teenage unrest was making headlines. Even in the small…
Louise Umphreville: Edmonton’s Forgotten First Lady
History is how we understand the past and that understanding is based on records made and kept by biased hands….
The Last Best West: Hattie’s Place, Part 3
Disclaimer: Please note that this piece references anti-Black violence, brutality, and white supremacy. A reference to a specific act of…
The Day Bill Coull Disappeared from the Airwaves
For David Ward, the memory of Bill Coull and his sudden departure from CKUA has left a strange taste in…
Dr. Lila Fahlman: The First Muslim Woman Awarded the Order of Canada
Lila Fahlman’s career as an activist began with a riot. It was Canada Day 1935, and the 11-year-old Lila was…
After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: John Kerr – Dance for Gramma
In the years before John Reid launched his career as owner of Flashback, Edmonton’s first gay disco, he worked cleaning…
After the Pisces Bathhouse Raid: Michael Phair – LGBTQ2S+ Activist and Community Leader
As of this writing, Michael is one of the few men charged as a “found-in” to speak publicly on the…