A Symposium on the Histories of Housing Discrimination – Department of History

Presented by the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts & Science, this in-person conversation with scholars and community activists will spotlight the understudied prevalence of housing discrimination in Canada.

The histories and geographies of housing discrimination in Canada is not well known and is understudied. Human Rights Commission Reports between 1961-1977 indicate the prevalence of this issue and are only what Frances Henry calls ‘the tip of the iceberg’, as most instances of housing discrimination are not reported. Housing discrimination has material consequences for marginalized Canadians. Social media groups such as ‘Renting While Black’ demonstrate the contemporary continuity of this problem. The current housing crisis and the differential treatment of African and Black Caribbean refugees is a recent publicized emblem of Anti-Black housing discrimination.

This event will be interdisciplinary, intercollegiate and in conversation with community to examine this particularly critical issue. Ongoing discussion about the state of housing as it pertains to persons of African descent are well placed for this contemporary moment. While much conversation had focused on local contexts, more meaningful discussions that consider the interconnected nature of Anti-Blackness and housing discrimination would help to contextualize its history and effect on the quality of life for Black Canadians and marginalized groups.  

The keynote speaker is Kendra Boyd, professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University.