« Plus qu’un simple jeu » : les personnalités sportives noires aux 20e et 21e siècles

This kit examines and celebrates the lives of Black people who participate in competitive sports in Canada. Using the themes of tenacity, social identity, respect, and community development, we will explore the contributions of Black athletes to better understand the inner strength and perseverance they possessed in pursuing their sport. Various activities will allow us to learn about these powerful athletes, their relationship with competition, and the vital roles they played in bringing communities together and combating the racism they faced throughout their lives. We will present their stories, including examples of the struggles they faced to be seen and heard, as well as their triumphs. We share these stories so that these athletes can take their rightful place in Canadian sport history. 

This toolkit, inspired by the content explored in episode 6, “More Than a Game,” of the CBC documentary series Black Lives: Untold Stories , was made possible through the education and engagement initiative of the Black Life Impact Foundation . It was written and developed by educator Tina Jagdeo, author of the book Bold School: An Inquiry Model to Transform Teaching . Guidance was provided by Afua Cooper  , lead researcher for the project A Black People’s History of Canada ; Professor Handel Wright, director of the Centre for Culture, Identity and Education at the University of British Columbia; David Austin, author of the book Fear of a Black Nation ; and Karen Murray, system superintendent for equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression for the Toronto District School Board. We thank Anita Lessard, of Filigrane Archives, and Juan Bello, of Triana Media, for obtaining permissions and visual research, as well as the Power of Babel team for the French translation. 

Please note that this kit addresses topics such as racism and discrimination, which some people may find disturbing. We recommend that teachers read all the content before sharing it with students.