In the early 20th century, behind the language of nation-building and progress, Canada quietly built barriers — policies designed not to include, but to exclude.

In this episode, we uncover the story of Canada’s racist immigration policies during that time period— and the people they were meant to keep from ever calling this country home.

#blackhistory365 #canadianhistory #immigration #systemicinequality #bhms

It’s February 28th 1930, A biter cold night in Oakville Ontario Canada. The streets are quiet—still—until the sound begins. A Slow. Rhythmic. Sound of Boots striking pavement. 75 men are marching down the middle of the street, an unusual sight in this small Ontario town. Even more unsettling is what they’re wearing: white robes, and pointed hoods

The klan has arrived on a mission, they have heard that a Black man and a white woman have been seen in each others company and they have arrived to do something about it.

#canadianhistory #celebrateblackhistory #oakvilleontario #bhms #blackhistory365

One of the most powerful voices in twentieth-century literature and social commentary, James Baldwin spent his life confronting America with its deep contradictions surrounding ethnicity.

Through works like Notes of a Native Son and The Fire Next Time, Baldwin challenged America to reckon with its bigotry, identity, and justice. In this episode we explore the life of James Baldwin.

#jamesbaldwin #celebrateblackhistory #bhms #paris #blackhistory365

Josephine Baker rose to international fame as a dancer, singer, and stage performer, dazzling audiences with her charisma and electric performances. But her story goes beyond the stage.

#celebrateblackhistory #blackhistory365 #bhms #josephinebaker #blackhistorymonth

When World War I ended, thousands of Black American soldiers faced a question that went beyond simply returning home. For many, the Great War had been a fight for freedom in more ways than one. Yes, they wore the uniform and fought for their country — but crossing the Atlantic also meant stepping outside the suffocating grip of Jim Crow.

#paris #blackhistory365 #jimcrow #bhms #celebrateblackhistory

Assata Shakur was a political activist who looked at a society built on inequality and chose resistance over silence. Her story is one of confrontation, exile, and survival—and it forces us to ask a difficult question: when a system is built on oppression, what does justice really look like?

#revolutionaryhero #celebrateblackhistory #assatashakur #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory365

Arguably one of the most iconic recording artists of the 1950s and ’60s, Elvis Presley was a trailblazer—his voice, his movement, and his presence redefining popular music, earning him the title King of Rock and Roll. But behind some of his biggest hits was a singer/songwriter few people knew: Otis Blackwell.

Blackwell crafting songs like “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up.” His melodies and rhythms created the energy and urgency that captivated millions.

#bhms #Otisblackwell #elvispresley #celebrateblackhistory #blackhistorymonth

While the Underground Railroad pointed north, there was another route to freedom—south into Mexico. After winning independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico passed what historians describe as radical antislavery laws, and Mexicans at every level of society were serious about enforcing them.

#blackhistory365 #bhms #mexico #mexicohistory #celebrateblackhistory

In 1849, a Black man climbed into a wooden box—three feet long, two feet wide, and made his way to freedom twenty‑seven hours later.

#blackhistorymonth #canadianhistory #bhms #celebrateblackhistory #blackhistory365

This episode is about time you can’t get back.
The silence of a prison cell when you know you don’t belong there.
A life put on pause—sometimes forever.
It’s about wrongful convictions. Men like Raymond Flanks, who spent nearly 40 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit.
Men like Leighton Hay, just 19 when he was locked up for 12 years—because of a bad eyewitness and a bit of hair in a garbage bin.

#truecrimecommunity #truecrimepodcast #LeightonHay #RaymondFlanks #youneedtohearthis #innocenceproject #Exonerated #SystemicRacism #racialinjustice