The Civil Rights Movement of the ‘50s and ‘60s in the United States gave the world iconic, inspiring, and sometimes horrific moments, burned by repetition into the public imagination. Even as a Canadian, you know the sights and sounds of that civil rights fight. You can picture MLK preaching his dream.

But what did the civil rights struggle look and sound like in Canada? Does anything come to mind? Perhaps Viola Desmond, challenging segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, recently memorialized on the ten dollar bill. 

Why so few images in the collective conscience? Where are the Canadian sights and sounds of the era?

Today’s guest has the answer, and the footage to back it up. Filmmaker Michèle Stephenson has just premiered her new film True North. 

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor & Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Featured Guest: Michèle Stephenson

Fact checking by Julian Abraham

More information:

• TRUE NORTH Trailer — YouTube
• 50 years later: How racism allegations against a Montreal professor turned into the greatest student riot in Canadian history — National Post

Sponsors: 

Squarespace: Check out https://squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit https://douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

BetterHelp: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.

You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.