Latest news with #MuseumLondon
CBC
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Londoners in new 'Black Lives Lived Here' exhibit never thought they'd be in a museum
Isha Bhargava New exhibit shows playful memories and snippets of daily lives of Black Londoners A new display at Museum London offers a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of Black families who lived in the city during the mid-20th century. The Black Lives Lived Here: London Family Photos from 1910s to 1960s exhibit is a visual history shown through family photographs of daily events, such as children playing or going to school, and special milestones ranging from weddings to birthday parties and trips abroad. "Part of the idea of this exhibit was to get away from the representations of minstrels and mammies, so the Aunt Jemima kind of images that sometimes we have of Black folk, that have been produced through dominant forces in society," said the project's curator Zahra McDoom. "These are everyday moments, people taking photos of each other and it shows a very different kind of life in London." Many individuals featured in the display went on to become trailblazing entrepreneurs, prominent entertainers and decorated athletes, but others, were regular Londoners known as strong community pillars who overcame racial and societal adversities. On Sunday, some of them can to see the exhibit and spoke to a crowd about their memories of their photos. Here are some of their stories: Joey Hollingsworth Image | Joey Hollingsworth Caption: Joey Hollingsworth stands beside his photo while he toured Japan in the 1960s. The tap dancer says he never thought he'd see a day where his family photos were featured in a museum. (Isha Bhargava/CBC) Open image in new tab Tap dancer, actor and singer, Joey Hollingsworth is the first Black man who competed in CBC's talent show Pick the Stars and regularly appeared on Canadian and some American television shows from the 1950s to the 1970s, including The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS. Now in his late 80s and with a visual impairment, Hollingsworth couldn't see the photos but reflected on his beginnings as an adopted child who began dancing when he was a toddler. Some his pictures show him dancing, sitting in his vintage car, touring Tokyo in the 1960s and hanging with parents and siblings in their family home. "This is my hometown and that's why it's so exciting to me. My parents, who I never thought would be in a museum, their photos are here," he said. "This is one of the finest exhibits that I'm just so pleased to be part of and it's exciting for Black people to be recognized." Hollingsworth admitted he didn't fully realize the challenges other Black Londoners experienced in their lives, but that changed when he was asked to perform in a minstrel show in St. Thomas. The theatre shows were performed by white artists wearing blackface, portraying racial stereotypes of African Canadians. His parents were against it but eventually agreed, so long as he didn't wear white gloves or blackface. Years later, he proudly performed in Canada's last minstrel show in Fredericton. "They told me it was the last one because the government has banned them and I thought my dad would love that, so I did the last minstrel show in Canada and closed them." Barry Howson Londoner and basketball star Barry Howson made history as the first Black man on a Canadian National Basketball team, and competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, but his family's roots in the city dating back decades. His mom, Christina, became a widow and single mother to eight children after her first husband James F. Jenkins died. Jenkins was founder of the Black Canadian newspaper, the Dawn of Tomorrow. Christina battled severe depression following his death but ultimately kept the paper running which is how she met her second husband and Howson's dad, Frank. 3 historians share local Black history they believe deserves more recognition Howson believes if she let the newspaper shut down, he would never have been born. Proudly pointing to his mothers photos, Howson shared how she overcame these challenges and the influence it had on his athletic pursuits. "It makes me proud and with what she had to go through, I always took the saying 'If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail' so I follow that example," said Howson, who also recalled positive memories of neighbourhood kids gathering in front of his childhood house on Hamilton Road. "A group of the Black people lived in the community and the stores [nearby] were very honest and helpful with the Black people and it was a nice close community. We didn't have any segregation or things like that and we learned to survive." Legacy of Stan "Gabby" Anderson Image | Anderson family Caption: Jeff Anderson, second from the left, poses in front of his parents Stan and Lorrie's wedding photo alongside his mom Lorrie, third from the right, his wife, sister and son Jared. (Isha Bhargava/CBC) Open image in new tab The life of baseball legend, Stan "Gabby" Anderson and his family is also featured in the exhibit, including videos of his kids in their Glenwood Avenue house. His eldest son Jeff said he was speechless when he saw photos of their "regular days" on such a large scale. "I was so used to seeing pictures on a small little postcard size, and now to see them on a wall in a museum, it's very emotional," said Jeff Anderson, alongside his son Jared. "We really learned the values that have kept our families this strongly knit for so long, all the troubles they've had to endure to bring us to this point. We carry along that history with us forever and now other people can have an inside look on how our family came about," added Jared. The exhibit is on display at Museum London until April.
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
In Your Community: Museum London
In Your Community: Museum London CTV London's Julie Atchison was joined by Museum London's Andrew Kear to talk about their summer launch party!
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Mayor's budget squeeze on city hall's external boards and agencies yet to yield tax savings
London mayor asked several agencies to find budget savings in order to meet his property tax increase target of below five per cent, reports Daryl Newcombe. Mayor Josh Morgan believes it's too early to tell if he can still meet his property tax target of below 5 per cent in 2026. Earlier this spring, Morgan and Budget Chair Coun. Elizabeth Peloza contacted 12 city-funded agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs) requesting they provide opportunities for potential budget reductions, provincial/federal advocacy and new revenue generation. However, just two response letters appear on the agenda of next week's Budget Committee meeting. '(Some) other organizations we're still in discussions with, and other boards just need some time to dig into their budgets,' Morgan tells CTV News. The letters on the agenda from the Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) and Museum London both include blunt warnings against another budget reduction in 2026. 060425 - Property tax Exterior of Museum London. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) 'Further budget reductions from the City will necessitate reduced operating hours, impact jobs, and reduce our ability to attract investment from all levels of government, sponsors and donors,' reads the letter from Museum London. The MLHU writes, 'further reducing the funding from the City by an additional 1.5% would lead to a deficit of over $1 million dollars for the Health Unit next year.' 060425 - Property tax Exterior of Middlesex London Health Unit. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) Peloza explains that the 2024-2027 municipal budget already includes savings from both agencies, 'In their letters it's stated that at the beginning of the multi-year budget they already took their (budget) cut then. Now they're saying, 'I don't have more to give.'' 'I'm not surprised by their responses,' admits the mayor. 'I met with both of them individually, and as I said all along, there's going to be some organizations that are facing different types of pressures than others.' Outreach to the city's ABCs was an extensive undertaking by Morgan and Peloza earlier this spring. 060425 - Property tax Projected property tax increase in 2024-2027 Budget. (City of London) Joint Meetings with the Mayor and Budget Chair: • RBC Place • Middlesex-London Health Unit • Upper Thames River Conservation Authority • London Middlesex Community Housing Meetings with the Mayor: • London Public Library Meetings with the Budget Chair: • London Police Services Board – Finance Committee • Museum London • Tourism London • London Transit Commission Written Correspondence Provided to: • Kettle Creek Conservation Authority • Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority • Eldon House The mayor emphasizes ABCs can still respond to City Hall about potential budget savings in the coming weeks and months. 'Given their board (meeting) cycles, (and) the amount of time their staff need to look into things in a meaningful and serious way, they're going to need a little bit more time,' he explains. 'What I've said to them is there's no bad time to bring forward a budget savings.' The London Police Services Board's finance committee recently began looking for between $1 million and $1.5 million in budget savings that would not impact police operations. The appointment of a temporary London Transit Commission (LTC) made up of Council members has delayed an analysis of the net financial impact of two unanticipated events when the LTC's multi-year budget was first approved: lower fuel prices and declining international student enrolment at Fanshawe College. London's initial property tax rate increase in 2026 was projected to be 6.4 per cent, but the mayor set his own target of below 5 per cent. 060425 - Property tax 2024-2027 Municipal Budget Documents. (File) Achieving the mayor's target requires finding savings and/or revenue totaling about $13 million. Peloza believes budget savings from external agencies, boards, and commissioners will be needed for the mayor to reach his target. 'I'm going to assume that we were banking on them, and the mayor was especially banking on them as he made a target to get under a certain percentage,' she admits. 'It's going to get to the point of which ones can we cut, which ones can't we cut. Those decisions will start with him and then go to council for consideration.' Council deliberations about the mayor's draft budget begin in late November. Morgan says it's still too early to determine if his tax target will be reached. 'I don't know yet, but what we are doing is we're tracking in the right direction,' he says. Representatives of the Health Unit and Museum London have asked to speak at the Budget Committee meeting on June 11.
CBC
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Award-winning 'Afro-forward' restaurant to open café at Museum London
Social Sharing A unique London restaurant that focuses on culture through food is opening a new café at Museum London later this summer. Yaya's Kitchen, run by husband and wife team Malvin and Maryam Wright, is currently a pop-up supper club operating out of the Food Incubator Hub in Old East Village. The restaurant has won local awards, including London Inc. Magazine's Best Fine Dining Restaurant in 2024. Since opening in 2017, the Wright's have offered diners a culturally educational meal when they host their weekly dinner. "It's a continuation or an expansion of our existing culinary project," Malvin said. "We always tell our guests we are not your usual restaurant by any stretch of the imagination." He describes the food as "afro-forward" and from no particular country. The couple serves dishes from the "global Black experience" that many diners would not have tried before, something they plan to bring to the café's lunch menu at the museum. "As we always tell our guests, even at our restaurant: we don't serve jerk chicken or jollof rice," Malvin said, adding that if it can be found at a supermarket, they aren't interested. "Because there is so much more, right?" Museum is 'thrilled' The Wrights said they reached out to Museum London on multiple occasions to pitch the idea of a café to them. Their vision resonated with the museum, which is thrilled for the café to open, the musuem's spokesperon Abby Vincent said. "Food is such an important part of culture and expression. Having diverse food offerings is really exciting." Vincent said the Museum had been looking for a tenant to take over the space after the Rhino Lounge Café closed in 2024. Wright said finalizing the menu will take several weeks and will include introducing staff to new ingredients. He added he wants to take time to create what he described as a "sincere and honest representation" of diversity. Wright said they are hoping to plan a grand opening soon, but can't set a date just yet. "We're aiming for the first or second week of June, but it's out of our hands," he said, explaining that a lot of work needs to be finished on the physical space.
CTV News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
In Your Community: Up with Art at Museum London
London Watch CTV London's Julie Atchison was at Up with Art at Museum London and spoke with Chuck Lazenby, Executive Director of the Unity Project.
