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Sunday, October 13, 2024
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Throughout history the development of major transportation
systems have facilitated the development of city centres. Windsor
is no exception. The steamboats on the Detroit River, the railroads
and the development of the electric railway in Windsor all helped
the town to flourish. African Canadians who worked in the field
of transportation |
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Postcard
of ‘Ferry Landing’ also includes street cars – Courtesy
of Don Wilson
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have helped to keep the economy moving for generations. |
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 Steamboats |
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The steamboats on the Detroit River a very important
role in African Canadian history in the region. Many fugitive slaves
made their way across the border from American to find safe haven
in Canada aboard the steamers and ships that traversed the river
and docked in Windsor. Steamboat Captains, like Captain Thomas
Chilver of the ‘Gem’ |
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P6730
- The Gem - Courtesy of Windsor's Community Museum
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helped many individuals and families escape during the period
of 1856 to 1865. |
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| Many African Canadians eventually secured
employment on the steamers and other vessels. For example William Jones
of 364 Goyeau Street was a sailor. James A. Smith, originally from
Kentucky, became a Captain aboard ship. Many individuals who went on
to prominence in other fields, like Reverend Harrison, got their start
aboard the famous vessels listed below: |
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Steamers |
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The Tashmoo
The City of Detroit,
The North Western
The India
The China |
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Side Wheels |
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The Hope
The Gem |
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Car Ferries |
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The Great Western
The Transfer
The Huron |
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| Railroads |
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In April of 1854 the Great Western Railway placed
an advertisement in the Provincial Freeman looking for 800 workers
to guard the railway tracks. Many African Canadians successfully
applied for these positions and many laid tracks for the transcontinental
railroad. They also toiled to build bridges and canals. |
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Canadian
Pacific Railway station
courtesy of K. Knight
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Once the railcars were steaming through the town
many African Canadians were |
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| at work aboard the trains.
Many of the cooks and dining room attendants
were African Canadian. In 1870 the Pullman Palace Cars were introduced
and the sleeping car
porters were African American or African Canadian. (For more information
on Sleeping Car Porters please visit the Organized Labour / Brotherhood
of Sleeping Car Porters section of this website)
The following individuals from Windsor are just a few of those known
to have been early employees of the rail companies in the area: |
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Canadian Pacific Railway |
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John Evans of 31 McDougall Street
Charles Evans of 210 Goyeau Street
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Grand Trunk Railway |
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John Wilson (Switchman) |
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| The
Windsor Electric Railway |
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The Windsor Electric Street Railway Company began
operation on June 6, 1886. It was the first electric street railway
system in North America. The line ran from Windsor to Walkerville.
An African Canadian man, Lindon Clark Brooks of 656 Goyeau Street,
was the first motorman on the Windsor Electric Railway line. Therefore,
he was the first operator of an electric railway in North America.
Left picture: Windsor Electric Railway Operator
Lindon Clark Brooks – Photo
Courtesy of the Long Road by Charlotte Perry |
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Brooks operated the electric railway car from a position
in the middle of the car where the motor was located. He transported
passengers from the British American Hotel in Windsor to the Peabody
bridge in Walkerville and |
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Clipping from the Windsor Star courtesy of Windsor Public Library (wpl
1-84)
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back.Mr.
Brooks also served on the town advisory board. In April of 1888 the
electric
railway was discontinued and |
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| a steam dummy railway system
was substituted. Later in 1888 horse drawn cars took over the line. |
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| Teamsters |
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The International Brotherhood
of Teamsters was established in 1903 to organized the workers which
then consisted of drivers of horse teams and warehouse workers. Canadians
began to join in 1906. As motorized vehicles revolutionized the transportation
industry teamster membership expanded greatly to include truck transport
and eventually an airline division.
The following are a few of the individuals who were early members of
the teamsters union: |
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Jasper Green
B Hulett of 86 Mercer Street
Gordon Nall Trucking & Storage Company at 84 McDougall Street
Benjamin White
Edward White |
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| In recent times some of the
individuals of African Canadian descent who have excelled in the field
of transportation include: |
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Mark Crosby
James Porter
Clarence Kersey |
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