Melissa Shaw, Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies, was awarded the 2025 Best Article or Paper聽Award from the Ontario Historical Society for her article聽鈥�.鈥澛�
The article, which was published in the Journal of African America History, was praised聽as an 鈥榚xcellent piece of scholarship that enhances [awareness] of Ontario鈥檚 diverse history鈥�.聽聽
An Important Academic Recognition聽
The prize is a significant聽recognition聽for Shaw, who is聽honoured聽to share the knowledge of a vast constellation of Black women who contributed their time, energy,聽brain聽and heart power to be catalysts of change.聽聽
鈥淭o me, as a scholar, a Black Canadian woman, and a human being, receiving this award was heartening as a sign that people are finally ready to hear what Black women have known and said for decades,鈥� says Shaw.聽鈥淲e are, and have been, the front and backbones of families and our communities, yet often, tangible recognition, such as citing our work, publishing our achievements, or erecting plaques highlighting our contributions, is withheld, even by those who have depended on our sacrifices to survive and thrive.鈥澛�
The Ontario Historical Society,聽which is the province鈥檚 foremost historical organization,聽was founded in 1888,聽and聽was聽initially driven by an agenda to promote聽British-Canadian聽nationalism.聽
鈥淭his agenda, and the White Canadians dedicated to pursuing it, was never intended to see, treat, or include Black people as equal citizens,鈥� says聽Professor聽Shaw. 鈥淥ver time, however, the organization evolved and expanded its mandate to preserve, interpret, and publicize Ontario鈥檚 multifaceted heritage [and] this shift in the OHS鈥檚 focus over time mirrors broader societal changes in racial and gender politics, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of the diverse narratives that constitute history.鈥澛�
The Origins of Shaw鈥檚 Research聽聽
Shaw was led to research Toronto鈥檚 UNIA Division 21 while undertaking her doctoral聽project at Queen鈥檚 University on Black Canadian聽sociopolitical聽activism in Ontario during the 1920s and 1930s.聽聽
鈥淯tilizing a comprehensive methodological approach that included archival analysis, I examined the UNIA鈥檚 meeting minutes and financial records, augmented by oral history interviews conducted in the 1970s and 1980s with Black individuals who grew up in Toronto during this era of anti-Black segregation and marginalization,鈥� says Professor Shaw. 鈥淭hrough these methods, the impact of Black women鈥檚 leadership and the ways they built up the UNIA to be a source of racial pride and a respite from the judgmental White gaze and white supremacy surveillance became quite clear to me.鈥澛�
Upon completing her PhD at Queen鈥檚聽University, Professor Shaw聽began a postdoctoral research fellowship聽at 9I制作厂免费 as one of聽9I制作厂免费鈥檚聽Provostial聽Research Scholars in Institutional Histories, Slavery, and Colonialism, researching the lives of the enslaved Black persons in the household of James 9I制作厂免费.聽聽
Now an Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies聽where she聽teaches courses on the history of Black Canada聽at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Shaw also recently co-edited聽聽with Professors Don聽Nerbas聽and Brian Lewis.聽聽
A Catalyst for Broader Discussions聽
鈥淎mong my peers, this article has catalyzed deeper reflection on the neglected aspects of women鈥檚 socio-political activism, leadership, and institution-building,鈥澛爏ays Professor Shaw.聽聽
The article has also inspired conversations amongst Shaw鈥檚 peers about the practical strategies Black women employed when fundraising in 1920s and 1930s Toronto, a crucial yet understudied and underappreciated form of advocacy.聽
鈥淢y article provides critical insight into the intersection of occupational and gender roles and their impact on this aspect of activism initiatives,鈥� says Shaw. 鈥淢y peers have noted that I have shown how Black Canadian women鈥檚 ability to navigate and聽leverage聽societal gender assumptions for constructive purposes is a testament to their ingenuity and critical role in socio-political movements.鈥澛�
Amongst Shaw鈥檚 students, many have been inspired to think more deeply about the work聽and dedication of these Garveyite women, many of whom dedicated a lot of time and energy to organizing social events that cultivated 鈥淏lack joy amid a climate of pervasive and overt forms of violent聽anti-Black racism with impunity.鈥澛�
鈥淪tudents have been inspired to think more deeply about what is lost or聽forfeited聽when a movement鈥檚 momentum is not generated by those directly facing the consequences of injustice, and about the pitfalls of activist work in commercialized spaces,鈥� adds Shaw.聽聽
Looking ahead, Shaw says 2026 will be an exciting year for her as she continues work on her current book project,聽Unblemished Citizenship: Black Canadian Women鈥檚 Fight for Racial Justice, 1919-1939,聽which聽will examine the overlooked community-building activism of women who used grassroots, national, continental, and global Black Diaspora networks to combat anti-Black racism and foster intra-racial solidarity and Black pride in Ontario.聽