The Maritime Museum of British Columbia’s exhibit 1858: Black Routes, Black Roots explores the history behind Black immigrants in British Columbia. The exhibit, which is in collaboration with the BC Black History Awareness Society, highlights personal stories, historical artefacts, and significant vessels such as the steamship Commodore, which brought many early Black immigrants from San Francisco to Vancouver Island.
BC Black History Awareness Society executive director Jamila Douhaibi says that the collaboration began when the museum was looking for ways to diversify narratives within BC’S maritime history and reached out to the society to help tell the story of early Black pioneers.
“Originally, we were thinking [the name] might be something around the steamship Commodore, but we decided on 1858: Black Routes, Black Roots, to show that it’s more than that story,” says Douhaibi. “Black people came from San Francisco on, starting with the Commodore. There was also the steamship Oregon, the steamship Republic. That’s kind of… the beginning of that really big story that has led to today.”
For Douhaibi, the exhibit comes as a critical opportunity to fill in gaps in public knowledge. Growing up on Vancouver Island, they rarely encountered Black history topics in school.
“I didn’t learn any of BC Black history,” they say. “Black immigration actually started much earlier than we were taught, and it’s so important to tell the story of these people who came and were such a big part of BC’s history.”
Douhaibi says that early Black residents held key roles in the province’s development—“The first dentist in BC was Black, out of Barkerville,” they say—yet, their stories were often left out. This omission, Douhaibi adds, was not accidental.
“A lot of that early Black history in BC is often missed,” they explain. “I learned about the work of erasure in the early 1900s, where they tried to show that Black people didn’t exist here. That continual attempt to erase Black history has led to misinformation, that there are no Black people in BC or that the history isn’t strong. Showing the roots of 1858 really changes the narrative.”
The exhibit guides visitors through a chronological journey beginning in San Francisco, examining the social and political factors that pushed Black communities to seek out safety, opportunities, and political rights in Canada.
“Many moved with the idea of a new home, new beginnings,” says Douhaibi. “They were told they’d be allowed to vote and purchase land, things they weren’t necessarily allowed to do in the States.”
The exhibit includes films, descendant interviews, visuals, and historical texts that contextualize the experiences and contributions of Black communities in BC throughout the 19th century. Considering that few artefacts remain, these pieces hold particular weight and significance. One of the most significant items featured in the exhibit is an illustrated Bible that belonged to an early pioneer. The museum also brings a reconstruction of the ships such as the Commodore, which, Douhaibi admits, “was smaller and less imposing than many imagine.”
After more than a year in development, the exhibit is ready to become a place to foster conversation in the community.
“It was really interesting to see this process,” says Douhaibi. “I look forward to seeing all the responses and conversations that come from it.”
Ultimately, the society hopes the exhibit helps visitors recognize the depths and transcendence of Black presence in BC.
“Our organization is about celebrating the past, present, and future contributions of Black people in BC,” says Douhaibi, “and I really think that this exhibit shows that.”
1858: Black Routes, Black Roots
Until Saturday, April 25, 2026
The Maritime Museum of British Columbia
mmbc.bc.ca