About the Book
A timely, intriguing collection of the overlooked stories of Victoria’s pioneers, trailblazers, and community builders who were also diverse people of colour.
Often described as “more English than the English,” the city of Victoria has a much more ethnically diverse background than historical record and current literature reveal. Significant contributions were made by many people of colour with fascinating stories, including:
- the Kanaka, or Hawaiian Islanders, who constructed Fort Victoria, and members of the Kanaka community such as Maria Mahoi and William Naukana
- three Metis matriarchs—Amelia Connolly Douglas, Josette Legacé Work, and Isabelle M. Mainville Ross
- the Victoria Voltigeurs, the earliest police presence in the Colony of Vancouver Island, and who were primarily men of colour
- Grafton Tyler Brown, now known in the United States as one of the first and best African American artists of the American West
- Manzo Nagano, Canada’s first recorded immigrant from Japan
- and many more
With information about various cultural communities in early Victoria and significant dates, May Wong’s City in Colour is a collection of fascinating stories of unsung characters whose stories are at the heart of Victoria’s history.
Reviews
“This book is not meant to be a comprehensive history of Victoria’s multicultural make-up; instead it profiles noted individuals from various cultural or racial backgrounds—including Greek, Hawaiian, Métis, Black, Jewish, Chinese, and Japanese—and offers intriguing glimpses into some of the key settlers whose legacies are visible today . . . A valuable book that shows the influence of many immigrant groups whose contributions have perhaps not been recognized satisfactorily until now.” —BC History
“City in Colour is a lively, very readable and welcome celebration of Victoria’s multicultural heritage . . . All in all, a tour de force.” —The Ormsby Review