Preserving, exploring, and sharing Portuguese Canadian history
WHAT’S NEW?
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Welcome Gregg French!
The Portuguese Canadian History Project welcomes Gregg French (PhD candidate, Dept. of History, Western University) to our team. Gregg will be the PCHP delegate at Western University and in the Portuguese community of London, Ontario, looking at potential collaborations and ways to expand our community outreach model to that part of the province. Good to…
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The Greek Canadian History Project is created. Partners with the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections
The PCHP is thrilled to announce the creation of the Greek Canadian History Project and their recent affiliation with the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, York University Libraries. Much like the PCHP, the GCHP is a non-profit archival community outreach initiative that seeks to preserve immigrant histories in Canada, and is motivated by the…
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St. Christopher House Centennial Celebrations, 1912-2012: public history exhibit
St. Christopher House – a neighbourhood center and multi-service agency in Toronto, with a long history with the Portuguese community in this city – is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. To kick-off its centennial celebrations, St. Chris is holding a public history exhibit, curated by Gilberto Fernandes of the PCHP, on Friday March 2nd,…
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 