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Black Canadians

Better Opportunities

World war on gave black canadians a chance to be actively involved in war activity. Black canadian groups began to work on their own and with the help from white groups, to raise funds, work in factories and volunteer in hospitals and as laborers. Despite all this movement for black canadians, they were still not allowed to fight in the front lines. Those that went to war were placed in the No. 2 Construction Battalion. An appreciation for being considered worthy enough to represent Canada and fight. Black canadians finally feeling like they are canadian and they deserve a chance to fight just as man of another color.

https://cmea-agmc.ca/no-2-construction-battalion-remembered

No.2 Construction Battalion

Conclusion

The efforts of many Black canadian men who attempted to enlist when World War I broke out were turned away. There were no separate Black units and Black individuals were only allowed to enlist in battalions at the discretion of commanding officers. Black canadians were told it was "a white man's war." In 1916 the Canadian enlistment fell from 30 000 to 6000 per month. A separate construction battalion was proposed by Reverend C.W. Washington and supported in order to increase the numbers. Their role as a construction unit was to support the front lines, building roads and bridges and defusing land mines so advancing troops could move forward, and bringing out the wounded. This was time when black canadians felt not only wanted but needed. They went to war and they came back with the satisfaction of making a difference and knowing they contributed to Canada's success. Black canadians took a giant leap in the right direction and when it came to war from then on were treated not according to the color of their skin but the color of their uniform.

Although Trudeau tried to create the Just Society, the progress shows but there is still a lot of work to do. Black canadians wanted to fight for their country but after being discriminated, a lot of men lost the will and had to be forced to go to war. Black canadians still don't feel equal as they remain segregated in their combat units and are treated as minorities as well. Something that was achieved was that the regions and groups which have not fully shared in the country's affluence will be given a better opportunity. Although black canadians may say that there was a better way to handle the racism when it came to world war one, at the end of the day black and white fought to bring victory for world war one. It definitely wasn't The Just Society but it was a large step in the correct direction. In the eyes of a black man they would probably see the change and but have the knowledge that more has to be done, it would just take time. Black canadians felt strong as they had surpassed the racism and discrimination to fight in WW1

Introduction

The "Black Battalion" and other Black Canadians fought in the First World War and are remembered and celebrated as a cornerstone of the proud tradition of Black military service in Canada. When black canadians volunteered to go to war they were met with prejudiced attitudes and weren't allowed in combat. Pierre Trudeau's wish to create a Just Society had truly begun and the changes were noticeable by the end of world war one, however there were still numerous problems of injustice that needed to be addressed to officially proclaim Canada a Just Society. A black canadian during this time can see the change taking place around him but understand that the movement towards equality will take time.

On 29 August 1917, the Canadian government passed the Military Service Act to reinforce depleted troops overseas. Black men, who were turned away from enlistment due to the color of their skin from 1914 to 1916, were now subject to conscription. Forcing Black men to enlist contradicted the exclusion Black men initially faced, and many military authorities still wanted to maintain racial segregation.Even though they training alongside White conscripts in Canada, many Black soldiers were placed in segregated units and assigned to labor duties upon their arrival in England.

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https://soundcloud.com/historicacanada/the-no-2-construction-battalion-and-the-fight-to-fight

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/black-canadians-in-uniform/history#inline_content_modal2

"The Just Society will be one in which the rights of minorities will be safe from the whims of intolerant majorities."

The soldiers who fought

Black canadians are minority in Canada and by then of the war they may not have been given the same rights as a white canadian but they received better then originally offered. When enlisting for the war had first began black canadians were turned away, however, by the end of the war they had been seen as canadian citizens and not just people of color and they were given a chance to represent their country and fight in the war.

The government proclaimed that individuals who choose to enlist could not be refused because of their race however, many white volunteers did not support the proclamation. They refused to sign up and fight alongside black people. Commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel W.H. Allen did not support the discrimination in battle and therefore from December 1915 to July 1916, approximately 16 Black volunteers were accepted into the 106th Battalion. Combat units that contained Black volunteers included the 25th Battalion, the 102nd Battalion, the 1st Quebec Regiment and the 116th Battalion. A select few were given the chance to fight alongside white men, feeling empowered but most importantly feeling like an equal. They were aware that not everyone agreed they should fight with white men in their hearts they believed one day the color of their skin wouldn't matter. Black canadians believed in the Just Society and hoped that it would exist, while racist white people were against the thought of black canadians being treated as an equal.

Bibliography

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/black/photo-war.asp

"Black History Canada - Black Soldiers." Black History Canada - Black Soldiers. Accessed November 05, 2016. http://blackhistorycanada.ca/topic.php?id=132.

"Black History Canada - Events." Black History Canada - Events. Accessed November 07, 2016. http://blackhistorycanada.ca/events.php?themeid=21.

Drews, Keven. "WWI Racism: Black, Asian and Aboriginal Volunteers Faced Discrimination | Toronto Star." Thestar.com. 2014. Accessed November 10, 2016. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/08/09/wwi_racism_black_asian_and_aboriginal_volunteers_faced_discrimination.html.

"History." Veterans Affairs Canada. 2014. Accessed November 05, 2016. http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/black-canadians-in-uniform/history.

Morton, Desmond. "First World War (WWI)." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed November 03, 2016. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/first-world-war-wwi/.

"Photo Gallery." Veterans Affairs Canada. 2014. Accessed November 05, 2016. http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/those-who-served/black-canadians-in-uniform/photo-gallery.

Recognition

Despite having contributed to the war, a was step forward in the right direction, black canadians weren't shown the same respect as white soldiers. While most soldiers returned home from war as heroes, the men of the Black Battalion did not receive proper recognition until decades later. Senator Ruck went on to write The Black Battalion 1916–1920: Canada’s Best-Kept Military Secret (1986), a book that details the story of the No. 2 Construction Battalion and profiles its veterans.

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