Harlem of the North : Black Memories, from Neighbourhoods to Dance Floors With Cat’s Corner

Programming

Thursday, July 2– 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Screening of the documentary Dear Jackie (Henri Pardo, 2021, original version with French subtitles)

Montréal is a place where people and cultures come together. The city is a patchwork of neighbourhoods with very diverse histories. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s short stay in Montréal is the starting point for this documentary about Little Burgundy. Henri Pardo talks to residents to better understand the neighbourhood’s rich human tapestry and current issues faced by Montréal’s first Black community.

Friday, July 3– 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Panel discussion: Montréal – Harlem of the North

Learn more about Black history in Montréal! From the railroad industry, which employed Black men as sleeping car porters, to the city’s dynamic jazz scene and flourishing institutions, discover the transnational stories of the men and women who helped make Montréal Canada’s cultural capital.

Saturday, July 4– 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Screening of the documentary Show Girls (Meilan Lam, 1998, original version with French subtitles)

Show Girls pays tribute to Montréal’s dynamic Black jazz scene, from the 1920s to the 1960s, at a time when the city was in full swing. Three women who danced in the legendary Black clubs of the time share their incredible memories of life in one of the world’s most fashionable jazz hotspots. Their stories are interwoven with the fascinating social and political history that made Montréal a jazz and nightlife destination for decades. A history of song and dance, of music and pride, followed by a discussion with guest panelists.

Sunday, July 5– 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Meeting with Lindy Hop elders

This year, the International Lindy Hop Championships will be held in Montréal for the first time in their history! This event seeks to honour the legacy of the dancers who created this social, liberating dance in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. Come and enjoy inspiring and enlightening conversations with those who had the good fortune dance at the dawn of this cultural revolution.