Final Webinar in Three-Part Series: Experiences of BIPOC Scholars in History

Introduction

• Speaker: Alison Stevenson, Métis historian from Treaty Six territory
• Series: Third and final webinar in a three-part series
• Focus: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) experiences in the history profession
• Participants: Dr. Daniel Sims, Dr. Cheryl Thompson, Dr. Harvey Amani-Whitfield, Dr. Afua Cooper, Dr. Barrington Walker, Hwisha Singh

Roundtable Series Overview

• Organized to mark the start of the CHA's centenary
• Themes:
  1. Women, gender, and sexuality
  2. Indigenous experiences and decolonization
  3. BIPOC experiences in the profession
• Aim: Honest, critical conversations on power structures and exclusion

Panelist Introductions and Topics

Daniel Sims

• Background: Member of Sekedene First Nation, Associate Professor at UNBC
• Key Points:
  • Reluctance to include Indigenous Studies under BIPOC label
  • Importance of recognizing shared experiences
  • Changes in the field with more scholarship and recognition
  • Pushback against critical race and Indigenous studies

Trisha Singh

• Background: PhD student at McGill University from India
• Key Points:
  • Transition from India to Canada, cultural and academic
  • Financial constraints for international students
  • Impact of COVID-19 on international students

Harvey Amani Whitfield

• Background: Professor of Black North American history at the University of Calgary
• Key Points:
  • Accidental journey into Black Canadian history
  • Increase in interest and recognition of Black Canadian history
  • More opportunities now, but historical challenges with job opportunities

Cheryl Thompson

• Background: Assistant Professor at the Creative School at Ryerson
• Key Points:
  • Reluctant historian, writes through storytelling
  • Faced discouragement but found success in niche areas like Blackface history

Barrington Walker

• Background: Professor of History at Wilfrid Laurier University
• Key Points:
  • Emphasis on invisibility of BIPOC contributions historically
  • Shifts in discipline, catalyzed by recent racial reckonings
  • Roles in higher education and changing narratives

Afua Cooper

• Background: Scholar, author, artist at Dalhousie University
• Key Points:
  • Serendipitous journey into history, activism-driven
  • Lack of initial opportunities; created roles for Black Canadian history
  • Importance of activism and community engagement

Key Discussion Points

• Importance of storytelling and personal narratives in history
• Pushback against nationalistic narratives in Canadian history
• Integration of BIPOC history into broader Canadian and global contexts
• Future of the discipline: balancing recognition with pushback, sustainability of change

Conclusion

• Emphasis on continued education and training from primary to higher education
• Necessity of activism for further development in the field
• Insights from panelists indicate both progress and ongoing challenges in the recognition of BIPOC histories within Canada and beyond.