This documentary reveals some of the hidden history of Blacks in Canada. In the 1930s in rural Ontario, a farmer buried the tombstones of a Black cemetery to make way for a potato patch. In the 1980s, descendants of the original settlers, Black and White, came together to restore the cemetery, but there were hidden truths no one wanted to discuss. Deep racial wounds were opened. Scenes of the cemetery excavation, interviews with residents and re-enactments—including one of a baseball game where a broken headstone is used for home plate—add to the film's emotional intensity.
Ages 14 to 17
Diversity - Black Studies
Diversity - Identity
Health/Personal Development - Identity
History and Citizenship Education - Civil Rights and Freedoms
This is a troubling documentary about racism, lies and secrets in a small Ontario town that tried to hide its segregationist past. The relative nature of history is highlighted here, and is an interesting subject to explore so as to develop students’ critical thinking skills. Compare history textbooks from earlier periods with today’s. Are there references to slavery, to rejection of and contempt for blacks by Canadians?