A unique walking tour in Vancouver is bringing to light the significant contributions of Black pioneers in early British Columbia, challenging common perceptions about where Black history exists in the city. The Black History Tour & Tasting, guided by Kor Kase, takes participants from the Museum of Vancouver to the Vancouver Maritime Museum, traversing through Kitsilano and along English Bay.
Revealing Hidden Histories Across the City
"Our goal is to show that Black spaces and Black history exist everywhere in the city," explained tour guide Kor Kase. This initiative aims to expand public understanding beyond the well-known Hogan's Alley, demonstrating that Black presence and influence permeated various areas of Vancouver from its earliest days.
Connecting to California Migration
The tour specifically connects to the history of formerly enslaved Black settlers who migrated from California to British Columbia around 1860. "They were agriculturists, farmers, spiritual leaders, teachers and physicians who helped build this community," Kase emphasized.
This significant migration occurred in the late 1850s and early 1860s when hundreds of Black Americans moved north from California seeking safety, land, and political rights under British law. These pioneers established farms, businesses, and civic institutions that fundamentally shaped early communities across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
Notable Figures and Locations
The tour highlights several remarkable individuals who became successful farmers and landowners after their migration:
- Feilding Spotts
- Howard Estes
- The Alexander family
- Sylvia Stark
"They're all amazing," Kase noted, "but I really appreciate Sylvia Stark. She and her family migrated from Missouri to California and then to B.C. And all the way they maintained their culture, maintained ways of growing, maintained ways of connecting to the land."
Early Black Civic Leadership
The tour also spotlights early Black civic leaders, including Mifflin Wistar Gibbs, who made history when elected to Victoria City Council in 1866. Gibbs became one of the first Black elected municipal officials in North America and served as a prominent entrepreneur and civil rights advocate in 19th-century British Columbia.
Brown Skin Beach and Community Gathering
Participants engage with significant locations where Black history unfolded, including what became known as "Brown Skin Beach." Located along the False Creek shoreline near Vanier Park, this area served as a gathering place for Black, Indigenous, and other non-white communities, representing an important social and cultural space in Vancouver's history.
Partnership and Presentation
The Black History Tour & Tasting is presented by Afro Van Connect as part of B.C. Heritage Week, in partnership with several organizations:
- Vancouver Maritime Museum
- Museum of Vancouver
- Black Space Media INC
- Vancouver Heritage Foundation
This outdoor walking tour centers Black and African-descent histories in British Columbia, deliberately focusing on areas that have been excluded from mainstream narratives about the city's past. By highlighting these stories in locations not typically associated with Black history, the tour creates a more comprehensive understanding of Vancouver's diverse heritage and the foundational role Black pioneers played in building the province.
