Saturday, May 5, 2012

We Stand on Guard for Thee


We Stand on Guard for Thee: The African Canadian Experience in the War of 1812

Location:          The Pond Inlet, Mackenzie Chown Complex, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario

Dates:              May 10-11, 2012, beginning at 6:30 pm Thursday, May 10, 2012

Sponsors:      Harriet Tubman Institute and the Augmented Reality Lab in the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University, in cooperation with the History Department, Brock University; the Central Ontario Network for Black History; and the St. Catharines Museum

Honorary Patron: Wilma Morrison, Order of Ontario and Honorary Doctorate, Brock University

Registration:   Full workshop package including Thursday evening reception, one night’s residence accommodation, meals and snacks, $110.  Student/unwaged $90.
                        Thursday evening reception only, $10 including beverage and light refreshments. 
                        Workshop day rate (Friday) $35, including meals and snacks.


For conference program, and to register on-line, go to the Harriet Tubman Institute website and follow the links for the workshop.  If you have problems please turn off your pop-up blocker when you go to the REGISTER button:



The African Canadian experience in the War of 1812 is a topic lamentably underrepresented in scholarly and popular literature. We Stand on Guard for Thee: African Canadians in the War of 1812  will provide a forum for scholars, students, educators, community historians and members of the public to explore the important role played by African Canadians in this, the last war fought on Canadian soil. 

The opening reception at 6:30 pm, Thursday, May 10, 2012, will feature the Honorable James J. Bradley, Deputy Government Leader of the House and Environment Minister for Ontario; Brian McMullan, Mayor of St. Catharines; Paul Dyster, Mayor of Niagara Falls, New York; Dr. Bonnie Rose, Executive VP of Niagara University; and Brian Merrett, CEO of the War of 1812 Legacy Council for Niagara.

Special guest speaker Gareth Newfield of the Canadian War Museum will present " ‘Free Men of Colour.’ The Coloured Corps during the War of 1812," followed by a musical performance by Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whitely. The launch of Conestogo Bound: Black Pioneers of Wellington County, an original film by Queen's Bush pioneer descendant Diana Braithwaite, will conclude the evening.

At the Workshop on Friday, May 11, 2012, participants will discuss topics including the Coloured Corps stationed at Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake; the wartime experience of Black women and children; African Canadian service in the battle for the Great Lakes and on the high seas; and the post-war migration to Maritime Canada of the so-called "Black Refugees,” some 2,000 African Americans who fought on the British side in the War of 1812. An important component of the Workshop will be outlining directions for future research, and providing suggestions for the development of educational materials for the new project of the Harriet Tubman Institute and Faculty of Fine Arts, York University: We Stand On Guard for Thee: Teaching and Learning the African Canadian Experience in the War of 1812

Also on Friday, May 11, 2012, the Hon. Jean Augustine, Fairness Commissioner for Ontario, will launch Breaking the Chains: Presenting a New Narrative for Canada’s Role in the Underground Railroad. This innovative web-based project includes 24 original biographies of people who came to Canada in search of freedom before the US Civil War. Narratives, detailed essays, primary documents and historic images support a series of original lesson plans designed for Grades 3-12, enhanced by specially created Augmented Reality segments.  Based on substantial new research and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, this is a project of the Harriet Tubman Institute and Faculty of Fine Arts (Augmented Reality Lab), both of York University, with support from community partners across Ontario.

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