Preserving, exploring, and sharing Portuguese Canadian history
WHAT’S NEW?
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Our piece on Raquel Vilhena of Walnut Gallery aired on RTP
Our piece on Raquel Vilhena, editorial director of DirectArts International and director & curator of the Walnut Contemporary Art Gallery, dealing with contemporary Portuguese arts and emigration, aired on RTP’s “Hora dos Portugueses” (Apr. 29, 1st story). You can watch it here. A nossa entrevista com Raquel Vilhena, diretora da DirectArts International e curadora da Walnut Contemporary Art Gallery, focando…
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Our interview with Ana Paula Lopes on RTP
Our interview with the social innovator, entrepreneur and non-profit manager Ana Paula Lopes, a recipient of the orders of Canada and Portugal, and considered one of the “100 most powerful women” in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network, aired on RTP’s “Hora dos Portugueses” (Apr. 21, 1st story). You can watch it here. A nossa entrevista com…
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Our piece on the Romeiros of Toronto aired on RTP’s “Hora dos Portugueses”
Our 8-minute story on the Rancho de Romeiros and their Good Friday pilgrimage in Toronto’s west end aired on RTP’s “Hora dos Portugueses” (Apr. 17, 1st story). You can watch it here. A nossa reportagem de 8 minutos sobre o Rancho de Romeiros de Toronto e a sua romaria da Sexta-Feira Santa na baixa oeste da cidade foi…
WHO WE ARE
The Portuguese Canadian History Project (PCHP) is an incorporated non-profit organization founded in Toronto in 2008 by Dr. Gilberto Fernandes and Dr. Susana Miranda, and later joined by Dr. Raphael Costa and Dr. Emanuel da Silva. Since 2009, we have partnered with the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections (CTASC), York University Libraries. Our objectives are to:
- Preserve the collective memory of Portuguese immigrants and their descendants in Canada.
- Democratize access to historical knowledge in its production and consumption.
HOW WE CAME TO BE
As graduate scholars researching the history of Portuguese immigrants and their descendants in Canada, we encountered few records in public archives that reflected the complex experiences, networks, and dynamics in the communities that we studied. In the course of our oral history fieldwork, we found that multiple individuals and organizations held on to rich collections of historical records that they produced and amassed. In some cases, these collections were at risk of being lost forever. The PCHP emerged in response to this reality and to bridge the gap between public archives and immigrant communities.
What we do
Archive
We seek historical records in the hands of private individuals and organizations; assess their contents and state of preservation; facilitate their donation to the CTASC; provide context, translation, and metadata for their archival processing; and assist in their digitization. Since September 2009, we have helped transfer 10 collections from authors, community advocates and organizers, a documentary filmmaker, a newsman, a poet, a politician, scholars, a social service agency, and a union local.
Educate
Using the records that we have transferred to the CTASC and our own expertise has historians of the Portuguese in Canada, we have developed multiple public and digital history initiatives, including physical and online exhibitions, public lectures and panels, TV documentaries, and walking tours. When possible, we include our archival donors in the development of these educational projects.
Collaborate
Besides creating and animating the archives, our model is predicated on a pragmatic collaborative approach, whereby we complement and empower our partners as we seek common goals. Besides the CTASC, we have worked with numerous organizations and individuals, including academics, artists, researchers, diplomats, high school teachers, secondary and post-secondary students, documentary filmmakers, public history professionals, and local businesses. We are also proud to have served as a template and inspiration to other community archives and public history organizations in Toronto.
Portuguese Canadian History Project 