Hey, Hey ,Hey

Good to see ya;

I hope that life is treating you well. Its hard to believe that May is very quickly coming to a close and spring appears to be on pause with too much rain and very cool temps. Unfortunately my garden sits awaiting its planting orders but due to frost warnings, like spring the garden is on hold.

On May 19th,2025 my art installation NO 2 Construction Battalion: Tools of the trade residing at the Fredericton NB Region Museum has been installed and ready for public viewing. Approximately nine months ago the beginning project was just theory and dialog being batted around, the next stage was submitting a proposal with a plan which was accepted by the Fredericton Museum Curator.

With each piece I’ve created throughout the years there are learning curves, The insight and awareness

on war and racism during world war one and the black men who stepped up to serve their country were many stories that were written about and told long after world war one when No 2 Construction Battalion became visible and acknowledged within Canadian history. The Black Men of Canada mattered and so did their contributions to a war effort that were more focused on the color of their skin and less on their skill set and patriotism.

So i felt challenged from the beginning as how do i present a visual story display installation when looking at the whole picture from a feminist perspective and not an advocate of war. Challenge Accepted. What came to light was my opinion had no place in the unfolding of this piece, and you ask how can that be? Well the creative journey travelled was in no way to speak for them, it was to speak about them. When I speak about them, I refer to those brave Canadian black men who served their Canadian Country with pride despite the many challenges they endured. Ok lets get started as i walk you through the installation.

Artist Statement: No 2 Construction Battalion: Tools of the Trade

The year 1914 marked the beginning of World War I, a conflict that would define and impact the lives of millions. While much of the fighting took place in Europe, Canada also felt the weight of the war, with a call going out for men to enlist. But as history often shows, there were hidden barriers preventing certain groups from answering this call. Black men, despite their willingness and desire to serve, were turned away from military recruitment offices across the country. Their enlistment requests were denied simply because of the color of their skin.

Racism was the unspoken reality that shaped the war effort in Canada. Many officers, who saw the war as a “white man’s war,” believed that Black men had no place in the military. The war’s toll was steep, and there was a growing need for soldiers with the call for recruits getting louder, and despite the racial prejudice and tension of the time, Black men were determined to serve their country.

Though rejected on the basis of race, the persistence and resilience of these men did not go unnoticed. Allies within the government and military began to advocate for their inclusion. In response to this pressure, a resolution was passed that allowed the formation of the No 2 Construction Battalion — a non-combat unit exclusively composed of Black men. The battalion gave these men an opportunity to contribute to the war effort.

In this Installation, I acknowledge and give visibility to race, identity, and war through the lens of the men of the No 2 Construction Battalion. The tools of their trade symbolize both the labor and sacrifice these men made for a country that did not always acknowledge their worth. Through this work, I seek to honour their perseverance, their contributions, and their history that was too often overlooked.