We watched the first episode of the new series from CBC television called The Porter and it was both entertaining and informative. It looks at the era of Canadian history, the Roaring 1920's, when the porters on Canadian passenger trains were Black men. Their lives were challenging as they worked 72 hour shifts with no formal opportunity to sleep. Racism was a fact of life and many passengers addressed any porter as "George", a univeral moniker related to George Pullman who invented the sleeper car.
The Porter series is unprecedented in that it had an all-Black writing team, features a Black cast, and had a predominately Black film crew. In John Doyle's enthusiastic Globe and Mail review he offers:
It is true that Canadian railway porters started the first Black labour union in North America, but that’s merely the launching pad for an emotionally dense roller coaster of a ride. The series touches on the impact of the First World War on Canada, from the individual experience of soldiers to the sense that Canada was emerging as a country. It’s also about the 1920s as an era of huge change; it’s a jazz-age drama that captures the ferocious, chaotic energy of the period. It’s about bootlegging, brothels and dancehalls.
In this first episode the exuberance of a speak-easy dance floor is contrasted with the emotional expression of a church service which are taking place simultaneously. Spirits and the Holy Spirit at work!
I wonder if there will be more in the series about the importance of the church in the lives of members of Black communities. Congregations were often the place where both skilled singing and instrumental prowess were encouraged and nurtured. The great jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, was the son of a porter with Canadian Pacific Railway. Daniel Peterson was a self-taught church organist and his children were required to learn piano and a brass instrument. He led a family band in concerts in churches and community halls. Oscar was already recognized as an accomplished pianist at age nine.
We're looking forward to more episodes of the 8-part series which are on Monday evenings or streamed through GEM.
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