Black History Month - Rediscovering Canada's Forgotten Hockey History

During Black History Month in North America, schools, organizations, communities, and cultural institutions organize events, lectures, and performances to showcase the diverse and significant contributions of Black Canadians and Americans. These activities aim to raise awareness, foster dialogue, and promote a better understanding of the historical struggles for racial equality and social justice faced in the past, as well as the ongoing efforts to combat systemic racism and discrimination in the present.

The month was originally established in 1926 by historian Carter G. Woodson, whose aim was to educate and keep the history of Black people relevant, so it would not be lost and forgotten. The celebration would only be for one week every year, until 1976, when it was expanded to the full month of February to acknowledge the shared birth month of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. Black History Month would then be brought to Canada in 1996, when Jean Augustine, the first Black woman to be elected to Canada’s House of Commons, started the motion to have it recognized in the country.

Black History Month serves as a vital reminder of the importance of acknowledging the past while working towards a more just and inclusive future for all. It encourages ongoing dialogue, education, and action to address systemic issues of racism and inequality, ensuring that the struggles and triumphs of Black people continue to be recognized and celebrated.

Organization and Expansion

The league wasn’t as big as the current NHL, but by the 20th century, it wasn’t that small either— the CHL expanded from three teams out to 12, with some teams having ties to baseball teams, such as the Charlottetown West End Rangers and Africville Sea-Sides. With the connection to baseball, many players ended up being dual athletes, participating in both sports.

As it was with the times, the CHL would only be allowed to rent out rinks after the White leagues completed their seasons, meaning the league was limited to the eight weeks between January to March. This is partly why the league was structured more like an intense fight to be in the top three or four within each region. The championship structure also looked similar to a boxing setup; teams would compete with each other for the chance to challenge the previous year’s winner, the latter of which held the title of “champion.”

In the Crossfire: Africville vs. Halifax

Of course, during a time when Black people were often openly marginalized, it was very difficult for the league to continue operations steadily. For the most part, the league was allowed to and capable of operating— as long as it didn’t get in the way of or could be a distraction to the White community.

In the early 20th century, a conflict between Africville, a predominantly Black community in Halifax, and the government revolved around the expansion of rail service to the port of Halifax. The government's decision to expand the rail infrastructure to accommodate the growing port industry had significant implications for Africville and its residents— considering the plans often involved encroaching on Africville’s land and infringing upon community spaces. The government viewed the land occupied by Africville as prime real estate for industrial and transportation purposes, disregarding the historical significance and cultural value of the community to its residents. Additionally, Africville served as a sort of hub for the CHL, so conflicts within the space, particularly in community areas, hindered the flow of the league.

1921 Return and Legacy

The league would return in 1921, with three teams in the Halifax area. Amazingly, even after the conflict years prior, Africville was able to bring back almost its entire roster from before.

Although the CHL was back, most of the rules in the revived league followed the same, standard hockey rules seen predominantly in other leagues; it may not seem like a major issue, but with the standardized rules, the league would lose the aggressiveness and, essentially, the personality it once had in its peak years. The league spent years with teams coming and going, but it was never the same again. News outlets were also focusing more on the NHL, which was still in its budding years at the time— and with the Second World War looming, it was virtually impossible to bring the CHL back to its former glory.

The CHL would finally be absolved and play its final game in 1930, during the time of the Great Depression.

The legacy of the CHL and Africville is a showcase of the resilience and perseverance of Black athletes and communities in the face of major adversity; looking back at the conflict reminds us of the struggle for racial justice and equity that existed, and still exists, in Canada.

Willie O'Ree

Deep in hockey history, one name that shines brightly as a major pioneer of change is Willie O'Ree's. Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, O'Ree engraved his name in the record books on January 18, 1958, when he became the first Black hockey player to play in the NHL, having been called up by the Boston Bruins mid-season. He played two games that year, then 43 games in the 1960-61 season. While O'Ree's NHL career may have been brief and mostly spent in the minors, his impact resonated beyond the ice. O’Ree was often referred to as the “Jackie Robinson of hockey.”

During his time with the Boston Bruins, O'Ree was subjected to many racist remarks and attitudes from fans and opposing players alike. He would also frequently be a target of on-ice violence simply because of the colour of his skin. These attitudes were not exclusive to his time with the Bruins; he faced a lot of discrimination across all the leagues he played in.

Grant Fuhr

Where Willie O’Ree paved the way for Black players to get to the NHL, hockey legend Grant Fuhr was the first to be an absolutely dominant figure on the ice. Heralded as one of the greatest goaltenders in history, Fuhr won many awards during his time in the NHL, including the Vezina Trophy for the ‘87-88 season, multiple All-Star honours and Stanley Cups, as well as 10 NHL goaltending records.

As a member of the Edmonton Oilers, Fuhr became an integral part of one of the most dominant dynasties in NHL history. With his lightning-fast reflexes, acrobatic saves, and steadfast demeanour under pressure, Fuhr played a pivotal role in helping the Oilers capture five Stanley Cup championships over seven years (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990).

Angela James

Angela James holds many firsts, but none of them came easily. Often hailed as the "Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey" and additionally compared to Mark Messier, James was a talented, tough, and highly dynamic player on the ice, but faced numerous challenges throughout her career. These challenges stemmed in particular from her being a part of multiple minority communities, not just one: she was Black, a woman, LGBTQ, and grew up in a single-parent household. Despite the hardships, she still emerged as one of the most influential figures in hockey. Not only was she one of the first three women inducted into the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame (2008), but she was also one of the first two women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (2010). She had an award named after her when the CWHL was still in operation called the Angela James Bowl, which was given to the leading scorer in the league for that year— in reference to one of her greatest strengths on the ice.

As mentioned, her journey required a lot of fighting for opportunities; there were no girls’ or women’s leagues nearby when she was growing up, so her mother fought the leagues to allow James to play with the boys. Across multiple leagues, she was so dominant that she would often be moved up to play at higher levels with older players, and even then, she was still one of the best out on the ice. She continued her hockey career at Seneca College and the NWHL for the North York/Beatrice Aeros.

She played numerous times for Team Canada and won many golds with them, but due to some controversy behind the scenes, some involving the coach Shannon Miller and Hockey Canada, she unfortunately would never get to play at the Olympics. The decision to leave her off the team for the 1998 Nagano Games was not only openly questioned by her but also by her teammates and even her opponents on the American side. That year, Canada would lose 3-1 to the USA, with teammates arguing once again that dropping James from the roster was a poor decision.

James played her final game in 1999 at the 3 Nations Cup, where she scored the winning goal in the championship game shootout. She finished her International career with a remarkable 50 games, 33 goals, and 21 assists and her NWHL career with 27 games, 22 goals, and 22 points. James was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2022 for her contributions to advancing women’s hockey in Canada.

Jarome Iginla

Jarome Iginla is often regarded as one of the best overall players in hockey history— and it’s not hard to see why whether you look at his stats or on-ice play. His professional career spanned over two decades, during which he played for several teams in the NHL, including the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Los Angeles Kings.

Iginla was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars before being traded to the Calgary Flames, which is where he left his most lasting legacy. He served as the Flames’ captain from 2003 to 2014 and holds franchise records in Calgary for most goals, points, and games played. Calgary isn’t the only place where he collected records; across 1,554 games in the NHL, he amassed 625 goals and 1,300 points. He achieved the milestone of scoring 50 goals in a season twice and holds the distinction of being among only seven players in NHL history to score 30 goals in 11 consecutive seasons.

Throughout his NHL career, he received many awards, including the Rocket Richard Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy, the Lester B. Pearson Award, the King Clancy Trophy, and the Messier Leadership Award. On the International stage, Iginla played for Team Canada at both World Championships and the Olympics. His jersey (No. 12) was retired by the Calgary Flames in 2012, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020; he would be the fourth Black player to enter the Hall of Fame behind Grant Fuhr, Angela James, and Willie O’Ree.