Toronto Heritage Lecture

The 2013 Toronto History Lecture, titled Mary Mink: The Making of a Myth, will explore the sometimes blurred line between historical fact and historical fiction. James Mink was a successful Black businessman in Toronto in the 1840s and 1850s. His story is one of the best known tales of Black Torontonians in the 19th century, told and retold many times in newspapers and books.

In the 1990s, his story was made into a TV movie, Captive Heart: the James Mink Story, which was broadcast in Canada and the United States. In the screen version of events, Mink arranges for a white man to marry his daughter Mary and then stages a daring rescue when her husband whisks her off to the American South and sells her into slavery. The movie is said to be “based on historical records”, but as Guylaine Pétrin found out through her research, records can lie.

Admission is free, but reservation is required.

Please join us again this year in spreading the word about the Toronto History Lecture. It will be held on August 7th at 7:30 pm at the City of Toronto Archives and is presented jointly by the Archives and the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

For further details, including a map and driving directions to the Archives at 255 Spadina Road, visit http://conta.cc/187ZUcY. Questions may be directed to info@torontofamilyhistory.org  or Paul Sharkey (City of Toronto Archives) at 416-392-5561.

We look forward to unravelling the true story of Mary Mink with you on August 7th.

The Toronto History Lecture

A press release came from The Toronto History Lecture this morning, and I thought that you would be interested -

“Please join us again this year in spreading the word about The Toronto History Lecture. It will be held on October 24 at 7:30 pm at the City of Toronto Archives and is presented jointly by the Archives and the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

To commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812, the City of Toronto Museum Services created a Book of Remembrance for the men of York who fell during the war and all the casualties of the Battle of York. Janice Nickerson's research on the militia men uncovered so many fascinating stories that she decided to put them together in a book, York's Sacrifice: Militia Casualties of the War of 1812.

For the bicentennial year's Toronto History Lecture, Janice will tell a few stories of the men, women and children whose lives were transformed by this pivotal event in the history of Toronto.

Admission is free, but reservation is required. Their website is at www.toronto.ca/archives

Many members of the heritage community contributed to the great success of last year's inaugural Toronto History Lecture. We look forward to a similar success on October 24th”.

May I add that in the November 2012 issue of the Ontario Genealogical Society Families, we will have a book excerpt from Janice’s book mentioned above, and a book review.

The website of the OGS is www.ogs.on.ca

Paul McGrath Memorial Lecture

Last week, the Toronto Family History Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society released information on an upcoming evening event in memory of the late Paul McGrath, a remarkable, accomplished and greatly-missed local and family historian. The inaugural Toronto History Lecture in Paul’s memory will feature a colourful and controversial figure from the city’s past.

The speaker will be local writer and historian Chris Raible, as he presents “Rebel Remembered: The Legacy of William Lyon Mackenzie, 150 Years After His Death”. Chris is an expert in Upper Canadian history with a particular focus on the career of Toronto’s first mayor. He is the author of four books – two on Mackenzie – and has spoken and conducted seminars for many heritage organizations.

Before the lecture, be sure to find out more about the Archives and its spectacular collection of records – including 12 million photographs, more than 3000 maps, and records from the townships, villages and boroughs that form Toronto today.

Free admission but reservations required

Thursday, 4 August 2011

7:30 pm sharp (refreshments 6:30–7:30)

City of Toronto Archives, 255 Spadina Road, Toronto

For more information about this special event and to reserve a seat, visit http://tinyurl.com/6hshhsx

The Toronto History Lecture is organized and supported by an informal group of friends and associates of Paul McGrath and the following organizations:

City of Toronto Archives http://www.toronto.ca/archives/

Ontario Genealogical Society http://www.ogs.on.ca/

Ancestry.ca http://www.ancestry.ca/