British Columbia History looks at Chinese Exclusion Act’s centennial

The Winter 2022-23 issue of British Columbia History is guest edited by Catherine Clement, community curator of the forthcoming exhibition entitled The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act. The line-up also includes My Mentor in the Filipino Community, by Matthew Zablan; The Tragic Lives of Nip Lung Poi, by Andrew R. Sandfort-Marchese; and Talking with Marion Wal’ceckwu Dixon, Nlaka’pamux Elder and Master Basket-Maker.

Front Words with Mark Forsythe

Bob Hanna (right) with stone sculptor David Weir at unveiling of the Robert Hill Hanna VC statue. Photo: Adam Beck

In this excerpt from the Winter 2022-23 edition of British Columbia History, Mark Forsythe looks at a statue unveiled in Northern Ireland in honor of a BC man, studies how Google Earth is helping local history in Smithers, and profiles a film that provides a new perspective on the Cariboo gold rush.

BCHF Advocacy Award nominations open

Climate change and environmentalism are in focus for this year’s BCHF Advocacy Award. Is your heritage organization taking steps towards being responsible environmental stewards? Know someone who’s championing museum initiatives geared towards greener and sustainable practices?

Thanks to Giving Tuesday donors

We’re grateful to all those who donated on Giving Tuesday to add $2,000 to the BCHF Centennial Legacy Fund. There’s still time, for those who may have missed the day, before the Dec. 31 deadline for tax receipts for the 2022 year. 

BCHF office taking holiday break

The board members of the British Columbia Historical Federation would like to wish you safe and happy holidays. Please note that our office will be closed from now until Jan. 3 to give volunteers a few weeks break. We look forward to exciting things in 2023 and will connect with you then!

MEMBER NEWS

History, heritage buildings, and murder

In a presentation to the Vancouver Historical Society, author Eve Lazarus tells a number of her favourite stories, from bellyflop contests to the lost Shadbolt murals of the Alcazar Hotel, featured in her best-selling book Vancouver Exposed and her true-crime Cold Case books.

Funding opportunities to explore

A number of funding opportunities may be of interest to members and organizations working in culture and heritage, including from Canadian Heritage for initiatives commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, from the BC Arts Council for the Accelerate Pilot Program, and from the First Peoples Cultural Council for repatriation of ancestors and cultural treasures.

HISTORICAL NOTES

New Denver’s House of Joyful Tidings moved

(Vida Turok photo)

Avoiding possible demolition, a New Denver building from the Japanese-Canadian internment era has been moved as part of plans to turn it into seasonal accommodation for the village’s campground attendant. Known as the House of Joyful Tidings, it was once a community meeting place.

Susk’uz headdress exhibit opens in Prince George

Susk'uz Headdress Exhibit opening at the Exploration Place (Will Peters photo/Vista Radio)

An important piece of cultural heritage has returned to its homelands thanks to the Maiyoo Keyoh Society who repatriated the Susk’uz headdress from the Royal Ontario Museum. The Keyohwhudachun (chief) headdress is a cultural artifact of the Maiyoo Keyoh, a family territory about 100 km northwest of Prince George.

‘We are losing our history and with it, ourselves’

The Royal BC Museum in Victoria. (Greg Nesteroff photo)

In a column for the Victoria Times Colonist, history professors John Lutz and Jason Colby argue the province is going down a dangerous path through the dismantling of Royal BC Museum displays and underfunding of heritage sites.

New lease on life for historic Fernie church

(Supplied by the Fernie Heritage Trust Society)

Fernie’s historic Knox United Church will be preserved and stay a part of the community as a public venue, with plans to host art events and live music. The church, built in 1909, has been was purchased by the Fernie Heritage Trust Society.

Forgotten Cranbrook highlights history through photos

(Courtesy Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History)

Three East Kootenay authors have released Forgotten Cranbrook, a collection of 120 pages of historical photos of the city. The book spans the 1880s to the 1960s.

BC’s payphone era nears end

A phone booth in Silverton in 2021. (Peter Smith photo)

Payphones are a dying breed in BC. Telus says it has about 500 left, and they aren’t long for this world, due to a combination of lack of use, difficulty finding replacement parts, and few technicians who know how to fix them.

Nominate someone for the BC Reconciliation Award

The office of the Lieutenant Governor, in partnership with the BC Achievement Foundation, has announced the third year of the BC Reconciliation Award, recognizing individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, respect and commitment to furthering reconciliation.

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)

British Columbia Historical Federation

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

The BCHF Secretariat is located on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish speaking Peoples. The BCHF is on Facebook. Join the conversation.