BCHF BUZZ

British Columbia History magazine editor says goodbye

The fall 2020 issue of British Columbia History magazine will be the last one for longtime editor Andrea Lister. Recently, she announced her resignation from the publication, after 10 years at the helm. We are exploring options for a new editorial team and reimagining the direction of the publication.

Thank you for your support

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our supporters who donated in June during our Great Canadian Giving Challenge fundraising campaign. We raised $2,305 to be invested back into work of researchers digging into and preserving the history of BC, through the BCHF Centennial Legacy Fund.

Student interview: Harry Deng

Harry Deng, a student at Simon Fraser University, is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship in the senior division for his essay “Vancouver’s Chinatown: Literary Mappings of Seclusion.” His essay was written for History 436 taught by Dr. Katie McCullough. Dr. McCullough caught up with Harry and interviewed him about his project. Click the link to watch the video.

Student interview: Emma Quan

Dr. Carling Beninger caught up with Douglas College student Emma Quan, to interview her about her paper “The Washboard Legacy: Racism and the Chinese Hand Laundries of British Columbia in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries.” The essay earned Quan a $750 scholarship in the junior division of the W. Kaye Lamb award.

Seeking a few great people

As always, we are looking for hard-working, far-seeing people to join the BCHF board or to help us on one of our many projects. Let us know what you love to do and how much time you’re willing to give to support us in our support of public history in BC, and we’ll find you a spot that fills your heart – if not your wallet. Contact Jane Watt at jane@bchistory.ca

Give local campaign in the works

We are at work creating a campaign for the fall to encourage gift-givers to think before clicking. We’ll be asking history and heritage peeps to spend their dollars close to home – in museums and heritage sites, in support of local artisans and makers, in gifts of time and dollars. Does your organization have unique projects or products you’d like us to profile? Contact jane@bchistory.ca

MEMBER NEWS

Time Travels: Princeton and District Museum and Archives

Princeton Museum interim operations manager Todd Davidson stands beside an 1880s log cabin, once home to John and Lily Norman and family.

Mark Forsythe travels through BC, and back in time, exploring the unique work of British Columbia Historical Federation members for his regular column for British Columbia History. In this installment, he visits the Similkameen.

Old Hastings Mill Museum saved

Wikimedia Commons

The Old Hastings Mill Store Museum was recently in danger of closing, despite repairs and restoration work in 2019 and 2020. But thanks to an online fundraising campaign that raised over $36,000, the museum is safe for now.

The story of Cianci house

West Vancouver dogwood. Photo: Cianci, 1930s

The West Vancouver Historical Society has been holding a series entitled Local Voices: Heritage and Neighbourhood Character. The latest in the series, by John and Claudia Mawson, is about Cianci House, and can be viewed by clicking below.

The COVID Chronicles

The B.C. Labour Heritage Centre has embarked on a project entitled COVID Chronicles: Labour’s Story. They want to record first-hand accounts of BC’s working people during the COVID 19 pandemic. You can help by clicking the button below to fill out a survey.

HISTORICAL NOTES

BC Archives reference room to expand in-person services

Friends of the BC Archives/Facebook

The BC Archives has announced plans to re-open its reference room in late July. This comes after originally announcing that it would remain closed until 2021. The BCHF is pleased with this decision to open sooner, in a safe way.

Hogan’s Alley society seeks reclamation of neighbourhood

In 2014, Canada Post issued a stamp commemorating Hogan’s Alley, depicting two prominent residents: Nora Hendrix and Fielding William Spotts Jr.

Advocates are demanding the City of Vancouver finally make good on promises around Hogan’s Alley, an historic Black neighbourhood demolished in 1970 to build the Georgia viaduct.

BC announces $10 million for Chinese-Canadian Museum

This week, the B.C. government announced $10 million to establish the Chinese Canadian Museum — the first in Canada. The museum will include a provincial hub in Vancouver plus regional hubs throughout B.C., and an online portal.

Author Q&A: The Trials of Albert Stroebel

Our new blog series, Author Q&A, pulls back the curtain on the historical writing process, introducing local authors and hearing how their stories featuring aspects of BC’s history were inspired. This time Monica Miller of Caitlin Press interviews Chad Reimer the author of The Trials of Albert Strobel.

ADVERTISING

The BCHF offers a number of advertising opportunities in our e-newsletter, which is distributed to our entire membership monthly. Advertisements are jpeg images sized to 600 px wide for electronic distribution. To submit an ad, contact Greg Nesteroff: greg@bchistory.ca

Members enjoy discounted advertising rates. Choose 12 months for the best deal:

1-3 months = $100 each ($100-$300 annually)
4 months = $90 each ($360 annually)
6 months = $80 each ($480 annually)
8 months = $70 each ($560 annually)
12 months = $50 each ($600 annually)

Rates for non-members are as follows:

1-3 months = $150 each ($150-$450 annually)
4 months = $140 each ($560 annually)
6 months = $130 each ($780 annually)
8 months = $120 each ($960 annually)
12 months = $100 each ($1,200 annually)

BC Historical Federation
Box 448, Fort Langley, BC, V1M 247 • info@bchistory.ca

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