User:ClarenceSbayne/sandbox/Exemplar Black Community Leaders of Montreal and Quebec

Exemplar Black Leaders in Montreal and Quebec

This article is a biographical sketch of the contributions of a selected few exemplary Blacks to the development of Montreal and Quebec, from the mid-nineteen hundreds to the present time (2016). The list of leaders will focus mainly on leaders in the English speaking Black communities and the organizations and institutions that they founded and or participated in as Board members. Persons are considered exemplar in terms of the quality of their contributions as social entrepreneurs. That is to say, in terms of the contributions that they have made or is making to the advancement of the cultural communities with which they self identify; to the larger Canadian multicultural experiment in nation building;and to the creation of a sustainable environment and social, political and economic cohesive World society. These contributions may take the form of single or multiple events with significant local, domestic or international impact. Leadership in this context is understood to also include actions taken through organizations and networks of organizations working collaboratively. Thus, the quality and impact of exemplars will also be determined by the number of significant agencies and networks to which the individual is a part; and in which he or she plays a significant policy making and decision making role. There are many different listings of Black Leaders in Canada and in Quebec, the most well known and cited being Who's Who in Black in Canada; the City of Montreal Black History Month calendar list of Laureates; and the Black Theatre Workshop Vision Celebration recipients of the Martin Luther King Jr Achievements Awards list. Many of the persons cited in these and other lists may not appear in this list because of the particular definition of leadership used here. It is quite possible that a person with an order of Canada may not turn up on this list. The reason is that there are many different categories of the order of Canada that do not meet the definition of leader used in this selection process or are not from Quebec. In general, leadership for the purposes of this presentation requires that the person directly or through a network made a difference in the structuring and thinking about society on a sufficient and credible large scale. The question is as follow: if we come to a practical agreement about the development of a Maslowian social index for Montreal or Quebec, how does this person/exemplar initiatives improve the index and or the Black and other communities on that index. To facilitate a more in depth understanding of this flow chart below shows the emergence of and patterns of relationships between social entrepreneurial organizations in the English speaking Black communities from 1900 to the present time. Leaders are then chosen by their degree of association with organizations and institutions that have contributed to moving the members of those communities up the Maslow social index pyramid or up a higher fitness peak. The following are some examples:

1. Reverend Este, Union United Church

2. Mr. Stanley Clyke, Executive Director of the Negro Community Center(NCC).

3. Dr Leo Bertley, President of the Markus Garvey Institute; Author and Historian;creator and Editor in Chief of the Afro Canadian paper(discontinued)

4. Dr. Dorothy Wills: Order of Canada; Co-founder with Dr. Clarence S. Bayne of the National Black Coalition of Canada; Dean of the Sciences and Social Sciences Department at Vanier College.

5. Mr Carl Whittaker, principal co-founder and Executive Directer of the Black Community Council of Quebec(BCCQ), 1969 -1983 and Vice Chairman of the Board and member of the Executive Committee of the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal (1983 ???). Immigration Judge 198???---???; From the Mid-sixties into the nineties the Black communities of Montreal and Quebec were being mobilized by several groups of Black intellectuals proposing multiple approaches to Black community social and economic development and integration. One group advocated a form of Garveyism that promoted the developmentof Black pride and self esteem through the arts, literature and community self-directed education activities. Prior to the seventies, these activities were provided by the Montreal Chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association,(UNIA, 1917) and supported by the Union United Church and the Negro Community Center. Together they represented institutions that were the core of the political, social, and religious life of the then Black community of Montreal located mainly in Little Burgundy. With the arrival of the new Caribbean islands immigrant populations we see the emergence of a Pan Black and Caribbean movement within the framework of Canadian Multiculturalism. It was the stability and long enduring history of the Negro Community Center as a provider of services to the Black community in Little Burgundy that attracted Carl Whittaker who described himself a proponent of Essential Garveyissm and "unappoligetically" a Pan-Afican . Also, from the group of Black and Caribbean students at McGill and Sir George William Universities we see the emergence of New World intellectuals that offered the community a number of approaches: the Martin Luther king Jr non-violent approach to change; a combination of Black Radicalism and the radical left movement advocated by CLR James and Imamu Abaka; and the more aggressive anti-capitalist and anti-colonialist Black power movements. The latter radical approaches were reflected and represented by the organizers of the Black Writers Congress (1968)[]. The more conservative version of the liberation movement was offered as a Pan-Black Canadian movement aimed at uniting and empowering Blacks across Canada and within the evolving Canadian society. It was based on a philosophy of an inclusive and cohesive Multiculturalism. The latter strategy was pursued by the creation of the National Black Coalition of Canada, born out of the 1968 Conference Committee conference on the "Problems of Involvement in the Canadian Society with Reference to the Black People". The new Conference Committee under the leadership of Dr. Clarence S. Bayne rejected the international agenda of the Black Writers Conference,preferring to be guided by the Martin Luther Jr non-violent resistance movement and a blend of the Marcus Garvey-Dubois approaches to Black development and economic integration. The most vocal proponents of the Garvey-Pan Africanist philosophy were Carl Whittaker and Dr Leo Bertley. Carl Whittaker described himself as a disciple of essential Garveyism and a Pan-Africanist. Clarence S Bayne proposed and developed strategies that were deeply influenced by the the thinking of New World scholars such as Eric Williams, Professor Kari Levit (McGill University, Lloyd Best (University of the West Indies and Tapia),and the possibilities that multiculturalism offered for creating a more harmonious, socially and economical cohesive society, where all culture are represented. Both Whittaker and Bayne stepped back from revolutionary Black radicalism as a solution for the problems of involvement in Canadian society. Their strategies for development in the Quebec landscape bridged the gap between the aggressive/radical Black Power movement represented by the Black Writers Congress and the domestic oriented movement represented by the creation of the NBCC.

Between the years 1966 and 1985, the voices that set out the strategies the Black development in Montreal and Quebec were: Carl Whittaker, Dr. Clarence Bayne, Dr Leo Bertley;it took the work ethic and collaboration Bayne and Wills to create the NBCC in 1969. That brought about greater communication and unity of voice between the various Black Communities in Montreal and across Canada with respect to national policy and the representation of Blacks at the Federal levels of decision making. But it was the collaboration between Bayne, Whittaker and the new Board of Directors at the Negro Community Center that gave the Black communities a sustained united voice on the municipal and provincial levels of Government in Quebec from the early seventies into the late nineties. In particular, it was the Whittaker conceptualization of a strategy for community development called "communology" that transformed community development in Black Montreal. He convinced the Board of Directors at the NCC that it should it should modernize its philosophy and mission to reflect new thinking about Black development and expand its services through outreach programs to serve the needs of Black population in boroughs and regions outside the Boundaries of NDG. In addition he invited and convince other key agencies that predated the launching of the BCCQ to become member and partners in this new approach to Black community development. Over a period of ten years (1972 -1982)the Black Community Council of Quebec had grow to encmpass regional associations in Cote des Neige, MDG, La Salle, the West Island, laval, the South Shore and include member organization such as the Black Studies Center(Founded by Bayne, 1973) the Black Theatre Workshop (Founded by Bayne,1964), the Quebec Board of Black Educators (founded by Dr. Leo Bertley, Dr. Bayne. Oswald Downes, Garvin Jeffers, Marion Lowe, Sybil Ince-Mercer, Mary Robertson, Rosie Douglas), the Afro Canadian Citizens Enhancement Society; and the United Sports Council. The Regional agencies described as Black Community Associations operated as franchises of the Council, in the sense that their programs were similar and determined by the protocols and mission of the Council. The other agencies were more autonomous and hence considered as specialist agencies. Carl created a leadership training program trained staff and outreach workers that in most instances remained loyal to him and his philosophy as the Executive Director of the organization. The programs of the Federation were extensive and had major impact at all levels of the City. They included summer camps named after historical Black leaders such as Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Lumumba; softball and basket ball programs, a Black Graduation program; the Afro-Festival; was responsible on the request of the City for the coordination and development of the Carifiesta as a single Carnival. It supported briefs by its specialist organizations representing the needs of the community to various levels of Government: the City's cultural reform committee seeking long term support of the Carifiesta, Black Thestre Workshop and Rythme du Monde; the delegation organized by C. Bayne as a follow up to une Rencontre d'Information entre la Ville de Montréal et la Communauté Noire Anglophone 18 January 1990. This resulted in the City declaring February Black history month celebrated by all Montrealers; and the ultimate creation of the Black History Month Round Table.

6. Dr. Clarence S. Bayne, Professor Emeritus, JMSB, Concordia , was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies October 1932. He came to Canada in 1955 and earned his Masters in Economics and Political Science at the University of British Columbia, 1960. He came to Montreal Quebec in June 1960 to work as a trainee economist at the Canadian National Railway., He began teaching as a part time lecturer in the Economic Department of Sir George Williams University in 1961. He enrolled in the the Economics Department at McGill university where he completed a PhD in Economics in 1976 , specializing in Econometrics and the Economics of Development. In 1961 he became a non-tenure track part-time lecturer in the Economics Department at Sir George Williams university. He taught courses in introductory economics, Monetary Theory; International Trade, Mathematical Economics and Comparative Economic Systems. He joined the Department Quantitative Methods as a tenure track lecturer in 1966, was appointed an assistant professor in 1969, an associate profess in 1987..Dr. Clarence Bayne became a Full Professor in 2001. As an assistant professor, Bayne developed and taught courses in Intermediate Statistics; Survey Sampling Methods; Quantitative and Qualitative Forecasting. He served as the Director of the graduate Diplomas in Administration and Sport Administration, 1990-2006, where he taught Quality Management, Economics for Not-for-Profit Management, Arts, Sports and cultural Economic; and quantitative methods for not-for-profit management. As Director of the program he, he upgrade the internship program making it mandatory for all students and requiring a research paper for completion of the program. He introduced and taught a course in Health Care Economics. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where several of the students from the program did their internships. He continues to be a member of the Board of Directors of the QEHC and the Foundation. He was assigned to the position of Director of the Entrepreneurship Institute for the Development of Minority Communities (EIDMC)in 1992 and responsible for the Concordia-Cree Regional Authorities training programs given by EIDMC from 1992 and 2005. The EIDMC has been renamed the ICED under his directorship. The central focus of Bayne's scholarship has been in Community development and the integration of minority communities into the Canadian and Quebec societies. His work is recognized at Concordia University, in Montreal, Nationally and Internationally through awards, directorships, publications and citations. His presence and influence in the growth and development of the Black community of Montreal and Canada is significant and pervasive. He has used his position at the University of Concordia to enable the transfer of knowledge in business and community development strategies to the Cree and Inuit communities, Black Community organizations, social and private entrepreneurs, and to the social economy of Montreal. (LIST COURSES AND PROGRAMS including South African Program). He was a member of the Montreal Citizenship Movement (MCM) under the Jean Dore City Administration; worked as a member of the MCM team in NDG to establish the Monkland Community Center; was a member of the Committee for Advising the Mayor of Montreral on intercultural relations (CARIM) 1993 to 1998 under Pierre Bourque and the Montreal and NDG-CDN Intercultural Commissions, under the Tremblay Administration. Bayne was actually the Vice President assisting Michael Tremblay, Presidet of the NDG-CDN Inter-cultural Commission. He also served as the Vice President of the Cultural Communities Committee of the Union Party of the Tremblay Administration.

In 1964, Dr.Clarence S Bayne and Arthur Goddard, a student from Trinidad and Tobago attending Sir George Williams University, co-founded the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Montreal. He immediately created the Trinidad and Tobago Drama Committee. As president of the Trinidad and Tobago Associated he worked with Johnny Cayone, Professor Lloris Elliot, Professor Emeriti, Jeff Henry (moved to Toronto and Creator of Theatre Fountainhead) Erol Sitahal (actor and film producer),Leon St Martin (actor and playwright), Ken Pilgrim (Teacher and Ator), Cynthia Alleyne (Communication and film),to create the Black Theater Workshop . Bayne's commitment to Community development and Black unity worked with fellow activists Winston Nicholls and Carl Taylor to create a Caribbean association based on an alliance of the Caribbean Island a Associations in Montreal. This failed but together they were able to attract a number of students at Sir George Williams University to Create the Caribbean House. He was the President of the Conference Committee that organized the Conference on "Problems of Involvement in the Canadian Society with Reference to Black People". This Conference lead to the creation of the National Black Coalition of Canada in 1969. Bayne became the Vice President of the Montreal regional Associations of NBCC, and in 1970-1 served as the President of the NBCC. He created and was the editor in chief of the NBCC News paper UMOJA; and created the NBCC institute that was located at Guy and De Maisonneuve, Montreal Quebec. He left the Institute and created the Black Studies Center, Quebec (BSC) of which he is the President. In 1972, he was instrumental in the purchase of a Building that housed the Black Studies Center at 1968 De Maisonneuve. The sale of the building in 2014 has produce significant funds that now provide earnings that make the Center financially more stable and considerably less dependent on volitility in eternal funding policies. FESTAC: in 1978 Bayne and Dr Dorothy Wills represented the Canadian Black community on the organizing committee of the Second World Conference of Black and African Arts and Culture. Bayne assisted Wills as a resource person on the Policy Committee; and was a member of the Symposium Committee for the Conference. The Canadian contingent from the Black Communities across Canada that attended the conference were financed by the Federal Government of Canada. Bayne played a major role in the creation of the Black Community Council of Quebec (BCCQ). In the mid-seventies Bayne and Carl Whittaker teamed up create the Black Community Council of Quebec. Bayne had just become a member of the newly reformed Board of Directors when Whittaker approached the Board with a proposition to put in place a regional community development plan that mirrored Pan-Africanism. Bayne supported the social and economic philosophy of the plan and served as a strategists, policy maker and chair of the Budget committee. But he vigorously (cite, etching QBBE) defended the autonomy of the member organizations, especially the specialist Black organizations such as the Black Theatre Workshop, the Black Studies Center, the Quebec Board of Black Educators and ultimately the outreach Black Community Associations that were created as a part of the program of development. He is the Past founding President of the Quebec Board of Black Educators (QBBE). Bayne worked very closely with Black teachers in the English School system and scholars at Sir George William and McGill Universities to create the Quebec Board of Black Educators. He was one of it front line negotiators with the PSBGM and Quebec ministry of Education. He represented the Organization on the PSBGM MC/MR Policy Committee for many years. He became the president of the QBBE in 2004 at the death of Curtis George. He held that position until 2013. Under his presidency he upgraded the administrative structure, ran several Black Youth start up business programs in collaboration with ICED (JMSB, Concordia); strengthened and implemented an all year round Family Program; and increased the organization's annual revenues from all levels of government by more than $40 000 per year. He is the President of the Black Community Resource Center; and chair of the BCRC based Secretariat for the Black Community Forum.

Service to the social economy: ??????? YMCA; QEHC; Black Task Force; Advisory Committee to the mayor of Montreal; CACUM; Montreal Intercultural Commission; the Black Task Force. Alliance Quebec; Member of Board of the CEDEC; CQGN; Expert Witness on Cultural Reform;

Awards and Recognition: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award; BTW Martin Luther King Jr Lifetime Achievement Award; Founder of Black History Month Round Table, City of Montreal.

7. Dan Phillips, founder of the Black Coalition of Quebec, La Ligue des Noirs

8. Dr. Elery Tucker, Founder of the Quebec Black Medical Association.

9. Reverend Frank Gabourel was the pastor at Union United from May 1 1968 - to April 1980. Contrary to the general consensus of the congregation at Union United against the methods of activism used by the students engaged in the Sir George Williams Computer Crisis, Gabourel identified with the frustrations of the Black students involved in the protest. He played an important role in presenting Caribbean street Carnival to the streets of Montreal.. The Trinidad and Tobago Association of Montreal (founded by Clarence S Bayne and Arthur Goddard 1964) introduced the Trinidad style Carnival to Montreal as an indoors Winter event. The activity was held each February at the Canadian Polish Hall on Ogilvy to correspond to the Carnival festival in Trinidad (West Indies). For many years the event satisfied the cultural needs of the significant Trinidad immigrant population in Montreal. These in door Carnival dances attracted attendances as large as 1000 persons. They effectively came to an end as a result of dwindling attendance in the face of an increasing number of chartered flights of Trinidadians and friends to Trinidad for the Trinidad Carnivals. Reverend Gabourel with the assistance of Winston Roberts produced a street version of the event in 1972 to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the Union United Church. The event was a mixed version of Canadian marching bands and Trinidad style masquerade. However,it attracted members of the Caribbean community and publicized Union United Church in that community. In doing so Gabourel planted the seeds of the Carefete street carnival inaugurated two years later by Leroy Butcher of the Cote des Neiges Development Project (The Black Voice, Montreal 1972) in 1974

10. Reverend Bigby, like Reverend Gabourel was born in Jamaica, June 14,1931. Bigby became Union's pastor in the Fall of 1980. Bigby integrated Union United into the emerging Black organization networks that had evolved during the seventies and eighties in Montreal. His major contribution was the creation of Heritage week. He created an event that celebrated the cultural differences between various members of the Church and the diverse Black immigrant populations of Montreal. Under his tenure the Church became famous for it outreach community programs aimed at bringing about unity in the Black Community. He was responsible for the re-energizing and expansion of the Union United Choir which ultimately under the direction of Trevor Payne launched the now famous Jubilation Choir. During his tenure he earned two Masters degrees and a Doctor of Ministry from Chicago's McCormick Theology Seminary. He and his wife Hazel retired from Union effective July 6 1997.

11. Noel Alexander

References

Page 33-55, Proud Past, Bright Future.

External links

• [1] Black Theatre Workshop

[2] Black History Month Round Table Calendar

[3] Black History Month Round Table Archives [4] The Black Voice , Montreal 1972