In his archival collection, which predates the founding of Upper Canada in 1791 and includes materials up to the middle of the last century, historian Alvin McCurdy showcased Black Canadians in a positive and deserving light.
Alvin McCurdy's collection of photographs features “generations of continuing Black presence” in Canada, and portrays Black Canadians "in the light in which they deserved to be shown," historian Irene Moore Davis says in "Haven, But No Heaven," the first episode of CBC’s docuseries, Black Life: Untold Stories.
Haven, But No Heaven, the first episode of new CBC docuseries Black Life: Untold Stories, is an unflinching examination of slavery in Canada that dispels the myth of Canada as a safe haven for Black people.