Charles Daniels (activist) facts for kids
Charles Daniels was a Black Canadian who worked as a supervisor for railway porters in the early 1900s. In 1914, he took legal action against the Sherman Grand theatre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He sued the theatre for $1,000 because they refused to let him sit in the main floor section, which was only for white customers, even though he had a valid ticket to see a play called King Lear.
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Charles Daniels: A Civil Rights Pioneer
Charles Daniels is an important early example of a Black Canadian who fought for civil rights. He was part of a group of African-American settlers who moved to Alberta in the early 20th century. We don't know when or where he was born or died. Sadly, there are no pictures of Charles Daniels, his family, or his friends.
In 1914, Charles Daniels worked for the CPR in Calgary. He was an inspector for porters and belonged to a Black union called the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters. Porters were railway workers who helped passengers. This was one of the few jobs available to Black men in Canada at that time. Porters often faced unfair treatment and names, but they played a big part in building modern Canada. In 2019, writer Cecil Foster wrote a book called They Called Me George: The Untold Story of Black Train Porters and the Birth of Modern Canada, which tells their story.
A historian from Edmonton, Bashir Mohamed, found Charles Daniels' forgotten story by looking through old records. He shared his findings on his Twitter account in 2018 and later in a Calgary publication called The Sprawl. His research showed that Charles Daniels loved theatre.
On February 3, 1914, Charles Daniels sent a boy to buy two tickets for King Lear at the Sherman Grand theatre. One ticket was for him, and the other was for his friend, Andrew Hill. When Daniels and Hill arrived, the theatre would not let them sit in their purchased seats. Instead, they offered them seats in the balcony. Even though Canada did not have official laws forcing Black and white people to be separate, Black people often faced unwritten rules of segregation. This happened in places like restaurants, parks, pools, and theatres. Theatres often saved the best seats on the main floor for white customers, while Black people were sent to the less desirable balcony seats.
Charles Daniels refused to change his tickets, but the theatre still would not let him in. He felt embarrassed because his co-workers from the CPR saw what happened. Daniels then hired a lawyer, John McDonald, and sued the theatre for $1,000. He sued the theatre, the building owner Senator James Lougheed, and William Sherman for their unfair segregation practices. Bashir Mohamed explained that in 1914, unfair treatment against Black people was common. Daniels took a risk by publicly fighting the theatre's manager and owner.
When the case went to court, the theatre's lawyers did not show up. So, Daniels won the case by default. He was supposed to receive about $20,000 in today's money, but we don't know if he ever got it. Senator James Lougheed was embarrassed by the damage to the theatre's reputation. He fired William Sherman soon after and hired a new theatre manager. It is not known if the theatre stopped its segregation practice.
Documentary Film
In February 2020, a documentary film called Secret Calgary: Kicking Up A Fuss was released. It was directed by Cheryl Foggo and Bashir Mohamed was an associate producer. The film was funded by StoryHive, an initiative by Telus. You can watch it for free on YouTube through StoryHive's channel.
About the Documentary
The documentary tells the story of Charles Daniels. In 1914, he went to a Calgary theatre with a paid ticket but was denied his seat because he was Black. This little-known civil rights story reminds us that history is full of forgotten heroes.
Charles Daniels' Legacy
In 2018, Bashir Mohamed told CBC that Charles Daniels stood up for himself 104 years ago. This was 50 years after slavery ended in the United States and 50 years before the main civil rights movements began.
Another well-known Black Canadian civil rights activist, Viola Desmond, also fought against theatre segregation. Her picture is on the Canadian $10 bill. She was born in 1914, the same year Charles Daniels fought his court case. Other Black Canadian figures who fought theatre segregation include:
- Nova Scotian, Carrie M. Best, who in 1941 protested when Black high school girls were removed from the whites-only section of the Roseland Theatre. Viola Desmond would be removed from the same theatre five years later.
- Lulu Anderson, who in 1922 was not allowed to see a play at the Metropolitan Theatre in Edmonton because of her race.
Charles Daniels is special among these people because he is the earliest known Black Canadian to fight racial segregation in theatres. He is also the only one who won his lawsuit.
In 2019, the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society started a Save a Seat for Viola campaign. This campaign helps people learn about fairness and justice. The Calgary Public Library and Globe Theatres took part by reserving seats in their theatres with pictures of Viola Desmond. This helped theatre-goers understand the unfair experiences Black people like Viola Desmond and Charles Daniels faced when they fought against segregation. Charles Daniels felt he deserved to keep his seat because he was "sober and well behaved" like anyone else in the whites-only section. He did not think the color of his skin was a good reason to move.
Daniels' case is important because even though he won, systemic racism and inequality have continued in Canada. Bashir Mohamed said that most Albertans know little about this history. He explained that our civil rights history is often hidden, and it's hard to find old records or pictures. Charles Daniels' recently found story helps to document the Black Canadian experience, which needs more research. Cheryl Foggo, a writer and filmmaker, said it's important to tell these stories. She believes that Black history is simply part of Canadian history, but it is not widely known.
