Downtown Yonge Remembers
All of the wars fought in history were always considered to make the world safe for democracy. But for people of colour, and other visible minorities, the reality was very different.
Canadians were encouraged to enlist at the onset of World War One and World War Two, to “make the world safe for democracy.” But for people of colour, and other visible minorities, the reality was very different..
The No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) — also known as the Black Battalion — was authorized on 5 July 1916, during the First World War. It was a segregated non-combatant unit, the first and only all-Black battalion in Canadian military history.
William Thomas Jackson, Peter Browning, Elias Elery Jackson were privates in the Number 2 Construction Battalion during the First World War.
Source: City of Toronto Archives
Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 83680
The Battalion did crucial infrastructure work in France during the war: digging trenches, repairing roads, building railways. This photo (below) shows a reunion with their families on the steps of the Provincial Legislature in 1920, taken in dedication of a plaque that still sits in the main hall of Queens Park in Toronto to this day.
Source: City of Toronto Archives
Credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 411 , Item 86
Indigenous and Asian people from every area of Canada fought in the armed services throughout WWII, serving in every major battle and campaign. They faced distinct cultural limitations in order to serve their country. Their bravery, sacrifices, and achievements are a source of pride for their families, communities, and all Canadians.
Source: Chinese Canadian Military Museum
City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244 Item 859.
To learn more stories, visit these sites:
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/francis-pegahmagabow
https://www.tvo.org/article/how-black-ontarians-fought-to-serve-in-world-war-i