Still Here
Preserving Our Legacy
We Are Still Here. Still Here: Preserving Our Legacy confronts the false belief that Black history in New Brunswick is negligible. In fact, the history of Black settlement begins with the arrival of ships bearing the more than forty Black families in 1783. In this powerful volume, historical documents, first-person stories, original poetry, and compelling portraiture are woven together to present an untold story of resilience and belonging and the lasting contributions of a community whose actions and influence have often been omitted from the public record.
Published in conjunction with a national touring exhibition scheduled to open at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in July 2026, Still Here is poised to spark national conversations about Canada’s Black History and bring the stories of Black New Brunswickers to a wider audience.
Available format(s)
“To read this book is to witness the strength of a people who refused to be erased or forgotten. It underscores the foundation of Black history in New Brunswick and reminds us of the legacy that lives through these generations. Still Here is a fitting title for a book that poignantly reminds us of the resilience of our ancestors and calls us to tell their powerful stories to help shape our future.” — Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, CM, ONS
“Still Here asks very serious questions about history and the production of historical knowledge, being understandably concerned with how Black New Brunswickers understand themselves. The heartfelt stories in this volume should be widely read by historians and genealogists throughout Canada and the United States.” — Harvey Amani Whitfield, Centennial Carnegie Chair in the History of Slavery in Canada, University of King’s College
“Mary McCarthy, Thandiwe McCarthy, and Gary Weekes have instilled the pages of Still Here with emotion, determination, and love. They affirm presence. Dr. Mary asks us to read with attention. Gary’s photographs invite us to look closely. Thandiwe insists we listen with our hearts.” — Syliva D. Hamilton, CM, ONS, Inglis Professor Emeritus, University of King’s College
“When it comes to Black New Brunswick history, there is still much more to learn about and write about. But who better to begin crafting and weaving those tales than the three creators of this book, whose history and legacy run deep in and through the Black New Brunswick community.” — Atlantic Books Today
Mary McCarthy is a sixth-generation woman of African descent. A writer, educator, and historian, she is dedicated to preserving the histories of Black New Brunswickers. McCarthy holds a PhD from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, where her scholarly research focused on segregated and forgotten graveyards in New Brunswick. Dr. McCarthy has been featured in Chatelaine as one of “33 Black Canadians Making Change Now” for her work identifying systemic and anti-Black racism. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from St. Thomas University in Fredericton for her social justice work in May 2022. Dr. McCarthy is the director of REACH in New Brunswick an organization dedicated to preserving Black history and graves.
Thandiwe McCarthy is a seventh-generation African Canadian and a renowned spoken-word poet and writer. His unique narrative style interweaves the rich history of Black New Brunswick with contemporary experiences, emphasizing the significance of storytelling in preserving cultural heritage. A co-founder of the New Brunswick Black Artists Alliance, an advocate for the recognition of August 1st as Emancipation Day, and an organizer for the New Brunswick Emancipation Celebration event, Thandiwe was recognized by the CBC in 2023 as one of the 20 Black Changemakers in Atlantic Canada. Thandiwe is the culture correspondent for [Edit] magazine and author of the poetic memoir, Social Oblivion: Raised Black in Canada.
Gary Weekes is a Fredericton-based documentary filmmaker and acclaimed photographer whose work explores alternative methods of visual storytelling and offers profound visual narratives of Black life in New Brunswick, his upbringing in the UK, the ten years spent in New York, and his constantly changing role as a father of three young women. In 2022, Weekes became the first Black New Brunswicker to have a solo show at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, and several of his photographs are now in the gallery’s permanent collection. Weekes’s recent recognition as a CBC Black Changemaker underscores his pivotal role in highlighting the community’s vibrant culture and history.
