Black Canadians: History, Experiences, Social Conditions

Nanette Morton teaches English at McMaster University in Hamilton.

While some historical texts such as Robin Winks’s The Blacks in Canada
(1972) remain in use, comparatively little recent research has been done
on the position of African Canadians in contemporary Canada. To remedy
this omission, Joseph Mensah has produced a wide-ranging,
multi-disciplinary study that encompasses the fields of history,
sociology, geography, economics, psychology, political economy, and
philosophy.

In the book, Mensah sets out to describe and analyze the position of
African Canadians in the labor market, sport, and immigration. Of
particular interest is his examination (which exposes the racism
embedded in Canadian society) of criticisms of Canada’s official
multiculturalism; such criticisms, he concludes, are based on a
misguided fear that minorities will “take over.”

Black Canadians will be the standard work in the field for many years
to come.