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For well over forty years, the Black Studies Centre (BSC) has been providing a wide range of services to the Montreal community and to its various institutions.  We look forward to serving you more in the future.

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MARIE-JOSEPH ANGÉLIQUE
 

Circa 1710, Angélique was born in Portugal, which was an important player in the lucrative Atlantic slave trade, and was later sold to a Flemish man named Nichus Block[2] or Nicolas Bleeker[3] who brought her to the New World. She lived in New England before being sold in 1725 to an important French businessman from Montreal named François Poulin de Francheville, and after his death in 1733 belonged to his wife Thérèse de Couagne. Slavery in New England and New France was primarily a domestic affair, since unlike the southern part of what would become the United States the economy was not based on large-scale plantation labour. Angélique therefore worked in the Francheville home in Montreal, and occasionally helped on the family's small farm on the island of Montreal, which was primarily used to produce supplies for Francheville's trading expeditions.

Angélique had three children while in Montréal: a boy born in 1731 who lived only one month and twins in 1732, who both died within five months.[4] The father listed in the baptismal records was Jacques César, a black slave from Madagascar who belonged to Ignace Gamelin, a friend of Francheville. It is not known whether Angélique and César were lovers by choice or whether their owners forced them to breed.[5]

MARIE-JOSEPH ANGÉLIQUE, l'esclave d'un riche marchant de Montréal du nom de De Francheville, marqua, le 11 avril 1734, l'une des épisodes les plus dramatiques de l'époque. Ayant appris qu'elle était pour être vendue, Marie-Joseph mis feu à la maison de son propriétaire dans le but de faciliter sa fuite. Mais le feu en se propageant finit par détruire 46 édifices dont l'Hôtel-Dieu. On la captura en juin 1734. Elle fut alors torturée, paradée dans les rues de la ville et enfin pendue. On alla même jusqu'à brûler sons corps.

 
GEORGE BONGA was one of the most successful and famous of the black voyageurs. He was the son of Pierre Bonga who joined the North West Company in 1803. George was educated in Montreal where he learned English. He spoke French and several Native languages. Like his father he married a Chippewa lady. As a voyageur, he was known for his massive size and incredible strength. He was said to carry a load of 750 pounds for a quarter of a mile. By contrast the average load carried by a voyageur was 250 pounds. He was an acknowledged expert in the songs of the French Canadian voyageurs, and a master of the art of negotiation.
 
GEORGE BONGA est l'un des voyageurs noirs les plus célébres. Il est le fils de Pierre Bonga qui joignit en 1803 la Compagnie du nord-ouest. George, fut éduqué à Montréal où il apprit l'anglais. Il parlait également le français ainsi que plusieurs langues autochtones. Comme son père, il maria une femme Chippewa. En tant que voyageur, il était reconnu pour sa forte corpulence et sa force démesurée. On disait de lui qu'il pouvait transporter jusqu'à 750 livres sur un parcours d'un quart de mille. Comparativement, le poids moyen transporté par les autres membres d'expédition était de 250 livres. Bonga était un maître dans l'art de négocier. De plus il possédait une connaissance reconnue du répertoire des chansons des voyageurs canadiens français.
 
JEAN BAPTISTE POINTE DU SABLE (1745-1818)
"The Founder of Chicago"
Du Sable was said to have been born a free Black in St. Marc, Saint Dominique (Haiti). He was the son of a French mariner and an African-born slave mother. His father took him to France to be educated. In the early 1770's he made his way up the Mississippi to the Chicago area. Here he established a trading post on the North Bank of the Chicago River mouth. His business prospered and became the center of a permanent Chicago settlement. His trading post was the main supply station for White trappers, traders, les coureurs des bois and the natives. Du Sable made many trips to Canada to bring back furs and it was reported that he was very closely associated with the French in New France. It was only in 1968, that he was finally recognized as the man who founded Chicago.
 
JEAN BAPTISTE POINTE DU SABLE (1745-1818)
"fondateur de Chicago"
 
Du Sable disait-on, est né homme libre à St-Marc, Saint-Dominique en Haiti. Il était le fils d'un marin français et d'une mère africaine devenue esclave. Son père l'amena en France où il reçut son education. Dans le début des années 1770, Du Sable remonte le Mississippi jusque dans la région de Chicago. Là, il établit un comptoir commercial sur la rive nord de l'embouchure de la rivière Chicago. Son commerce devint prospère et fut à l'origine de la colonie permanente de Chicago. Son comptoir commercial était le poste de ravitaillement principal pour les trappeurs, les marchands, les coureurs des bois et les autochtones. Du Sable fit plusieurs voyages au Canada pour acquérir des fourrures et on raconte même qu'il était très étroitement associé aux français de la Nouvelle-France. Mais ce n'est seulement qu'en 1968, qu'il fut finallement reconnu fondateur de Chicago.
 
 
MATHEW DA COSTA ( ? - 1607) came to Nova Scotia in the summer of 1606 as a member of the Poutrincourt-Champlain Expedition. From their settlement at Port Royal Champlain made explorations into what is now known as Quebec. Da Costa's great linguistic skills made him of invaluable importance to this expedition. He spoke several languages including French and Micmac and acted as an interpreter for Champlain. Da Costa was a well educated man and a charter member of Canada's oldest club "The Order of Good Cheer."
 
MATHEW DA COSTA ( ? - 1607), arrive en Nouvelle-Écosse durant l'été de 1606 en tant que membre de l'expédition Poutrincourt-Champlain. A partir de ses établissements de Port-Royal, Champlain fait plusieurs explorations sur le territoire que l'on connaît mieux aujourd'hui sous le nom de Québec. Da Costa avec sa grande facilité pour les langues lui fut d'une aide considérable durant toute la durée de cette expédition. Connaissant plusieurs langues dont le français et le micmac, Da Costa servait d'interprète pour Champlain. Il était donc un homme eduqué. Il fut également un membre fondateur du plus vieux club au Canada, "The Order of Good Cheer".
 
 
OLIVIER LE JEUNE ( ? - 1654)
 
Contrary to popular belief, slavery is a very real part of our Canadian history.
 
The first black person known to have lived in Canada was a native of Madagascar who was bought at the age of 7 by the British Commander David Kirke during his invasion of New France and sold to Olivier Le Tardiff, head clerk of the French Colony. When Quebec was handed back to the French in 1632, Le Tardiff, who had often collaborated with the British, was forced to flee. He sold his slave to a Quebec resident. The boy was educated in a school established by the Jesuit priest, Father Le Jeune. He was later baptised as Olivier Le Jeune, taking the first name of the French clerk and the surname of the Jesuit priest. He died on May 10, 1654. It is believed that by the time of his death his official status was changed from that of "domestic servant" to freeman.
 
OLIVIER LE JEUNE ( ? - 1654)
 
Contrairement à la croyance populaire, l'esclavage fait vraiment parti de l'histoire canadienne.
 
La première personne noire connue à avoir vécu au Canada, était un natif de Madagascar qui fut amenée par le commandant britannique David Kirke lors de son invasion de la Nouvelle-France. Il fut vendu par la suite à Olivier Le Tardif, clerc en chef de la colonie française. Quand le Québec revint aux mains des français en 1632, Le Tardiff qui avait souvent collaboré avec les britanniques, fut obligé de fuir. Il vendit alors son esclave à un résident de Québec et le garçon fut éduqué dans une école fondée par le père Le Jeune, un jésuite. On le baptisa plus tard du nom d'Olivier Le Jeune dont le prénom rappelle celui du clerc en chef français et le nom, celui du prêtre jésuite. Olivier Le Jeune mourut le 10 mai 1654. On raconte qu'avant sa mort, son statut officiel fut changé de "serviteur" à personne affranchie.
Posted Sat, 02/19/2011 - 13:52 by admin

Volunteerism

The BSC is a community driven organization that values its programs, special events, and volunteers. In order for us to continue our programs, we are in need of volunteers. The following is a list of our upcoming events in need of volunteers just like you!

 

Information Technology

We understand the enormous potential of Information Technology not only as a tool for improving information access and creating more jobs, but more significantly, as a means to greatly enhance the standard of living of the people.

 

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Incubation Program

In 2004, The Black Studies Center in partnership with Concordia University began a small business incubator initiative to stimulate the growth of local businesses.It is the only program of its kind in the Montreal Black Community. Today, this initiative continues to support new businesses both physical and virtual. 

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