February is Black History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the achievements, investments, and contributions of Black communities and to commit ourselves to lifelong learning and allyship. To learn more about Vancouver’s Black community and its history, the BEST team went for a walk together in the Strathcona neighbourhood to experience the powerful stories behind the murals presented by the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project (BSRP) for the Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF).
BSRP is part of an ongoing process of reclaiming Black visibility in Strathcona which includes reconciling the erasure and systemic racism endured over time by Vancouver’s Black community. VMF partnered with local Black artists, curators, businesses, and communities to embark on a project that centers on Black storytelling through the visual impact of public murals. While the majority of mural artists were Black, BSRP sought to support intercultural relations, and the murals were curated with this intersectional lens.
The BESTies: Molly, Steve, Isabel, and Sara! In the spirit of active and sustainable transportation, Steve and Molly arrived by bike, Sara took the SkyTrain from Burnaby for an easy commute to Vancouver, and Isabel met us on foot at the Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station where we began our journey.
Hogan’s Alley
The beautiful murals are located in and around the historic Hogan’s Alley in Strathcona, which was home to Vancouver’s first and only Black community from the early 1900s to the 1960s, where they built a church (Fountain Chapel), started businesses, and established a neighborhood where they could raise their families (Black Strathcona, 2014).
Fountain Chapel Picnic, 1935 (Credit: Gibson Family; Source: Black Strathcona).
In the late 1960s, a freeway was planned that would run through Hogan’s Alley and Chinatown as part of a larger urban renewal scheme that would have destroyed entire neighbourhoods in East Vancouver, home to many of the city’s marginalized and immigrant communities, to replace them with massive elevated roadways. Urban planning at the time favoured car-dominant transportation infrastructure. Prominent planners of the era such as US-based Robert Moses promoted a tear-it-all-down approach to urban renewal which influenced the destruction of many immigrant and working class neighbourhoods across the continent in favour of highway expansion. Thankfully, local activists and community groups in Vancouver rallied together to stop the project, including Vancouver’s Chinese community who were influential in their efforts to protect Chinatown and the surrounding areas.
The freeway was ultimately stopped thanks to their joint efforts, but construction of the first phase — the Georgia Viaduct — was completed in 1971. In the process, the western end of Hogan’s Alley was expropriated and several blocks of houses were demolished (Black Strathcona, 2014).
The Georgia Viaduct in construction, 1971 (Credit: CVA 447-374; Source: Black Strathcona). The expansion of the proposed freeway was halted thanks to the combined efforts of local activists and community groups, but unfortunately most of Hogan’s Alley was already destroyed for the project.
From the SkyTrain station, we walked up the busy and wide Quebec Street to the Georgia Viaduct at Union Street. Here we came upon our first mural, Hope Through Ashes: A Requiem for Hogan’s Alley by Anthony Joseph, a local Black artist. Joseph has filled the stale concrete of the viaduct with colourful, vibrant energy that brings Hogan Alley’s stories to life. The mural pays homage to the Black community that was displaced by the Georgia Viaduct.
Mural on the present-day Georgia Viaduct, “Hope Through Ashes: A Requiem for Hogan’s Alley”. Anthony Joseph created this piece to add to the very instrument that led to the destruction of Vancouver’s first concentrated Black community in Hogan’s Alley. Their stories are depicted on this mural, interweaving into one another as a memento to the past (Artist: Anthony Joseph; Photo: BEST).
We proceeded to walk down Union Street where traffic was much calmer. Here we saw Nora Hendrix Place, a modular housing unit named after rock legend Jimi Hendrix’s grandmother who lived in Hogan’s Alley! Nora Hendrix was a tireless advocate for Vancouver’s Black population and has been described as the “glue” that connected the Hogan’s Alley community.
Nora Hendrix Place, a modular housing unit at 268 Union St. The housing project is named after a woman who was a pillar of the early Vancouver Black community. The mural, Remember Hogan’s Alley, was created by Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe. With this piece Ebenebe wishes to highlight a vibrant, joyful perspective: one of hope and a future built from past remnants (Text: City of Vancouver; Photo: BEST).
We soon made it to what remains of the original Hogan’s Alley, between Union and Prior Street. It was a quiet and calm walk, and we reflected on what it may have looked and felt like in the past when it was home to bustling businesses, delicious restaurants such as the famous Vie’s Chicken and Steak House, and a vibrant community feel. The old houses in the Alley are beautiful and unique, and many are painted in bright colours. The original Fountain Chapel is located at the end of the Alley, and is in wonderful condition.
The location of the remaining section of Hogan’s Alley (Map courtesy of Vancouver Heritage Foundation).
Hogan’s Alley today. On the right is Fountain Chapel, the first Black community church in Vancouver.
Next, we continued our walk to the alley between Union and East Georgia Street. The alley immediately comes to life with colour the moment you step in! The beautiful murals here are large and bright and tell the stories of the different communities and cultures who share this space.
Left: Steve checking out the murals.
Top right: Isabel and Molly enjoying the artwork.
Bottom right: Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea at 218 E Georgia St, Bagua Artist Association. “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” is a story from Chinese folklore about eight immortals crossing the East Sea differently with their special powers. The eight immortals, in the context of migration, can be seen as representations and celebrations of diversity in all the individuals that make up the history of Vancouver’s Chinatown (Text: City of Vancouver; Photo: BEST).
Left: Maifaunta Mata (The Huntress) at 251 Union Street, artist Rachel Achus. This piece centers around the idea of belonging. Achus took inspiration from the romantic and renaissance periods. She wanted to show that Black subjects deserve to be idealized in this manner because they are ethereal, godly, soft, and angelic (Text: Vancouver Mural Festival; Photo: BEST).
Top right: Kindred Sunsets at 251 Union Street, artist Odera Igbokwe. Kindred Sunsets is a reminder to center inner peace and healing, despite the ruptures caused by migration and displacement. In this mural, a chosen family of past and future selves sit on a new horizon while a duo of figures fade into the sunset (Text: Vancouver Mural Festival; Photo: BEST).
Bottom right: Resilient Chinatown at 251 Union Street, artist Paige Jung. This mural celebrates today’s community in Chinatown, while honouring and acknowledging its solidarity with Hogan’s Alley and the Musquem, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. The faces depicted represent both the younger and older generations of the Chinatown community (Text: Vancouver Mural Festival; Photo: BEST).
We concluded our walk at the BEST office in Chinatown in 45 minutes. We had a wonderful time engaging with the artworks and having great conversations. Walking is an excellent way to take in new sights, explore our neighbourhoods, and experience our surroundings. We hope you will be inspired to take a walk/roll/bike ride through this wonderful neighbourhood to learn about Black history in Vancouver and enjoy some inspiring public art if you haven’t already! Go alone to reflect on your walk, or bring a friend or family member and share the journey together. Public art and community initiatives such as this mural project spark important conversations about oppression, racism, and reconciliation that are so important to anti-racism work and decolonization.
Locating the murals and places of historical significance to Vancouver’s Black community is super easy using the interactive maps and resources created by Black Strathcona and the free Vancouver Mural Festival app! These resources also provide rich stories and details about places of historical significance and the talented artists who created the works we enjoyed on our walk. We’ve also put together a short video detailing our walk and locations of the murals, and have an Instagram highlight on our profile for the walk!
Use this handy video we created to follow our path and check out the murals!
The future of Hogan’s Alley
The City of Vancouver has recently approved the North East False Creek Plan which prioritizes the dismantling of the Georgia Viaduct, and have signalled their willingness to construct a cultural centre in East Vancouver which will promote the cultural, political, and economic well being of the city’s Black community. Importantly, the project will be led and informed by members of the Black community themselves. The Northeast False Creek Plan provides an opportunity to reconnect through reconciliation, replacing the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts with strong cultural, social and physical linkages.
Watch this excellent video to learn more about Hogan’s Alley and the work activists are doing to amplify and raise Black voices in the historical neighbourhood.
Black organizations and fundraisers you can support in BC
There are many ways we can show our support of the Black community this Black History Month, including broadening our learning, amplifying marginalized voices, donating, and joining organizations as allies.
Hogan’s Alley Society: The Hogan’s Alley Society (HAS) is a non-profit organization composed of civil rights activists, business professionals, community organizations, artists, writers, and academics committed to daylighting the presence of Black history in Vancouver and throughout British Columbia. Through their initiatives, they hope to build the capacity of racialized and marginalized communities to participate in city building.
BC Black History Awareness Society: The BCHAS creates awareness of the history of Black people in BC and celebrates their historical and contemporary achievements and contributions in the arts, education, government, sports, science, and more. Their website is an excellent resource for education, articles, definitions, and ongoing projects.
Black Women Connect Vancouver: BWCM is a collective of women who come together to inspire, empower, leverage their strengths and embrace their diverse experiences. It’s a community where women can build meaningful relationships, and celebrate the beauty of Black womanhood in Vancouver.
Black Lives Matter Vancouver: BLM Vancouver is composed of Black folks and allies working in solidarity with communities seeking justice from racialized violence.
Black Strathcona Resurgence Project Market: The BSRP market is a great source for local Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs you can support, including food services, fashion and accessories, beauty and skincare, hair and nails, health and wellness, fitness, and more.
Vancouver Mural Festival artists: Support the artists who painted these beautiful murals by checking out their work and following them on their social media channels. VMF has a list of all artists on their page with their handles so you can keep up with their future projects.
Black Strathcona: Black Strathcona has a wealth of knowledge on their website including a downloadable education guide that offers students a window into the social history and geography of the Black community in Strathcona.
