• Hooks for History: Using a Building Model to Introduce Complex Pasts
    by Steve Schwinghamer, Historian (Updated July 20, 2021) Our Museum is located at a National Historic Site: Halifax’s historical immigration facility at Pier 21. One of the principal tasks for the Museum has been to introduce and orient visitors to the historic place as they stand in the converted, …
  • What does PEACE look like to you?
    … It is a glowing success, attracting about 6,000 visitors in just six weeks. One of the elements that make it so successful is the activities … and it gives a great opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way. Some of the tiles might make you laugh; others will pull at your …
  • Immigration from the US - Biographies
    … Bruce Campbell Bolin was born in 1946 in Detroit Michigan. He grew up in Dearborn … War draft because he was in school, however he would no longer be exempted once he graduated. He and Janet both decided to immigrate to … making Bob eligible to be drafted. Bob decided the only real option was to immigrate to Canada to dodge the draft. In 1968, Bob …
  • Un/Wanted? Canada and the Resettlement of Chilean, Indochinese and Somali Refugees
    … by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 19, 2020) Introduction After the Second World War, Canada’s response to international refugee crises varied, driven by Cold War ideology, economic self-interest, humanitarian considerations, political necessity, and public … Un/Wanted? Canada and the Resettlement of Chilean, Indochinese and Somali Refugees …
  • What Would You Do? Admit, Detain, or Deny Entry to Irregular Refugees on Canada’s East Coast
    … by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 9, 2020) In May 2015, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 opened a new … the history of immigration to Canada. This is based on research that informs new displays regarding the history of immigration to Canada. Introduction There is often a … What Would You Do? Admit, Detain, or Deny Entry to Irregular Refugees on Canada’s East Coast …
  • Starting Points: Researching Canadian Immigration and Ethnic History
    … by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 8, 2020) Introduction So you’re interested in researching a topic that deals with Canadian immigration and ethnic … Starting Points: Researching Canadian Immigration and Ethnic History …
  • Artist-in-Residence 2021 - Aquil Virani
    … Award-winning visual artist, graphic designer and filmmaker Aquil Virani was … 21. Learn more about Virani's work at aquil.ca . Time: 9:42 Transcript Text on screen: An animated collage celebrating our immigrant … single. I arrived here― my great-grandfather, who also immigrated, kept calling Canada heaven. How could I not participate in this heaven …
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  • “Young Man, You Take Yourself Far Too Seriously”: The Memoirs of Immigration Officer Fenton Crosman
    by Steve Schwinghamer, Historian (Updated January 28, 2022) Canadian immigration history can be researched using a staggering variety of sources . There are ship logs and passenger manifests, architectural plans and harbour maps, photographs and paintings, letters and telegrams, tweets and emails, …
  • Borders, Groups, Statistics: Researching Immigrant Arrival at Pier 21
    by Jan Raska, PhD, Historian (Updated October 23, 2020) Introduction How do I find a passenger list? Is there a ledger? What if my ancestor came from a country that no longer exists? While the Scotiabank Family History Centre at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 does not hold copies of …