60 acast.com The Black Hum https://www.knockaboutmedia.com en Knockabout Media military history, black culture, social justice,WWI,canadian history Knockabout Media What if you were sent to war armed not with a gun, but with a shovel and pickaxe?


In 1914, as the First World War erupted, thousands of Canadian men rushed to enlist. But when Black men stepped forward to serve, they were turned away. It was “a white man’s war,” they were told. Canada didn’t want a “checkerboard army.” What followed became one of the most powerful and overlooked chapters in Canadian and Black military history.

The Black Hum explores the remarkable story of No. 2 Construction Battalion: Canada’s only all-Black battalion during World War I. Through powerful storytelling, historical research, and untold accounts, this military history podcast reveals the resilience, courage, and lasting legacy of Black Canadian soldiers who served their country in the face of racism and rejection.


If you’re interested in Black history, Canadian history, the First World War, and military history, this podcast brings their voices back to life.


Follow The Black Hum now to discover the untold stories of courage, service, and resistance that shaped history.


*Download our Discussing Questions for your class*

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> What if you were sent to war armed not with a gun, but with a shovel and pickaxe?


In 1914, as the First World War erupted, thousands of Canadian men rushed to enlist. But when Black men stepped forward to serve, they were turned away. It was “a white man’s war,” they were told. Canada didn’t want a “checkerboard army.” What followed became one of the most powerful and overlooked chapters in Canadian and Black military history.

The Black Hum explores the remarkable story of No. 2 Construction Battalion: Canada’s only all-Black battalion during World War I. Through powerful storytelling, historical research, and untold accounts, this military history podcast reveals the resilience, courage, and lasting legacy of Black Canadian soldiers who served their country in the face of racism and rejection.


If you’re interested in Black history, Canadian history, the First World War, and military history, this podcast brings their voices back to life.


Follow The Black Hum now to discover the untold stories of courage, service, and resistance that shaped history.


*Download our Discussing Questions for your class*

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> false Knockabout Media ryan@knockaboutmedia.com 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 the-black-hum serial https://assets.pippa.io/shows/67211a0aa73223e19b231026/1741369072905-0c302fd6-819f-4533-95a6-f884807c9b23.jpeg https://www.knockaboutmedia.com The Black Hum The Trials of E. Lionel Cross The Trials of E. Lionel Cross Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:43:53 GMT 33:28 69b02cb6c36fc2d58b07df3b false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com 69b02cb6c36fc2d58b07df3b 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 the-trials-of-e-lionel-cross full 2 5 In this episode, we chart the path of E. Lionel Cross — soldier, trailblazing Black lawyer, and civil-rights advocate — and his campaign to hold the Ku Klux Klan accountable after the Oakville cross burning and kidnapping. It is a story about the power of the courtroom and the unfinished work of justice in Canada.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In this episode, we chart the path of E. Lionel Cross — soldier, trailblazing Black lawyer, and civil-rights advocate — and his campaign to hold the Ku Klux Klan accountable after the Oakville cross burning and kidnapping. It is a story about the power of the courtroom and the unfinished work of justice in Canada.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Rufus Rockhead: The Night's Most Important Man]]> Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT 29:46 69a61b102d879b90064951a3 false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com 69a61b102d879b90064951a3 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 rufus-rockhead-the-nights-most-important-man full 2 4 In this episode, we trace the rise of Rufus Rockhead and the making of Rockhead’s Paradise — the club that became the epicentre of Montreal’s jazz scene. It’s the story of how one man’s ambition transformed a city’s nightlife and created a powerful space for music, community, and resistance.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


Featuring "Hello Montreal" performed by Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In this episode, we trace the rise of Rufus Rockhead and the making of Rockhead’s Paradise — the club that became the epicentre of Montreal’s jazz scene. It’s the story of how one man’s ambition transformed a city’s nightlife and created a powerful space for music, community, and resistance.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


Featuring "Hello Montreal" performed by Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> George and the Fighting Downeys George and the Fighting Downeys Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT 27:13 699d1b76f5c7a684d727cb41 false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com 699d1b76f5c7a684d727cb41 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 the-fighting-downeys full 2 3 George Alexander Downey was a veteran of two world wars and the patriarch of one of Nova Scotia’s most storied families. From the forests of wartime France to the communities of North Preston, this is the story of his service, sacrifice, and the legacy he passed on to generations who would carry his fighting spirit into the boxing ring and beyond.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> George Alexander Downey was a veteran of two world wars and the patriarch of one of Nova Scotia’s most storied families. From the forests of wartime France to the communities of North Preston, this is the story of his service, sacrifice, and the legacy he passed on to generations who would carry his fighting spirit into the boxing ring and beyond.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Hewburn Greenidge: The Dark Horse Hewburn Greenidge: The Dark Horse Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT 25:11 6993e069d85aecd27a7fb253 false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com 6993e069d85aecd27a7fb253 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 the-dark-horse full 2 2 A Black medical student. An all-Black battalion. A war that needed his skills but never fully recognized his service. In this episode of The Black Hum, we look at the life of Dr. Hewburn Greenidge as it stretched from British Guiana to Winnipeg to the timber camps of the Jura Mountains and back to the heart of the Amazon.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A Black medical student. An all-Black battalion. A war that needed his skills but never fully recognized his service. In this episode of The Black Hum, we look at the life of Dr. Hewburn Greenidge as it stretched from British Guiana to Winnipeg to the timber camps of the Jura Mountains and back to the heart of the Amazon.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director & Editor Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Charlie Kelly Takes the Mound Charlie Kelly Takes the Mound Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT 25:35 6989fe4fd2345f67c3f9643d false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com 6989fe4fd2345f67c3f9643d 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 charlie-kelly-takes-the-mound full 2 1 In the season premiere of The Black Hum, we trace the extraordinary life of Charlie Kelly, a standout baseball player from Ingersoll, Ontario, and a member of Canada’s No. 2 Construction Battalion. From local ballfields to the First World War, Kelly’s story reveals how sport offered both escape and opportunity. The episode culminates in the legendary “Forestry Game,” where Kelly took the mound before a crowd that included the King of England, challenging racial barriers through sheer talent. 


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In the season premiere of The Black Hum, we trace the extraordinary life of Charlie Kelly, a standout baseball player from Ingersoll, Ontario, and a member of Canada’s No. 2 Construction Battalion. From local ballfields to the First World War, Kelly’s story reveals how sport offered both escape and opportunity. The episode culminates in the legendary “Forestry Game,” where Kelly took the mound before a crowd that included the King of England, challenging racial barriers through sheer talent. 


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Host Cindy Charles

Writer Nuruddin Qorane

Executive Producer Ryan Barnett

Associate Producer Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Researcher Dr. Sarafina Pagnotta

Series Consultants Kathy Grant & Mathias Joost

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Marville, Stephen Dame, Mathias Joost, Kathy Grant, Constance Backhouse, Dr. Dorothy Williams

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Season 2 starts February 10 Season 2 starts February 10 Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:02:00 GMT 0:30 697ce0a99a56fea50848b4c5 false https://www.knockaboutmedia.com/the-black-hum 697ce0a99a56fea50848b4c5 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 season-2-starts-february trailer 2 The Black Hum returns for a second season, tracing five lives that reflect the broader Black Canadian experience in the twentieth century. These include Rufus Rockhead, founder of Montreal’s legendary Rockhead’s Paradise nightclub; E. Lionel Cross, Toronto’s first Black lawyer and a key figure in early civil rights battles; Charlie Kelly, a barrier-breaking baseball player whose career unfolded across colour lines; Hewburn Greenidge, the first Black graduate of a Canadian medical school west of Ontario; and George Downey, patriarch of the Fighting Downeys boxing family. This season brings these overlooked lives into focus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Black Hum returns for a second season, tracing five lives that reflect the broader Black Canadian experience in the twentieth century. These include Rufus Rockhead, founder of Montreal’s legendary Rockhead’s Paradise nightclub; E. Lionel Cross, Toronto’s first Black lawyer and a key figure in early civil rights battles; Charlie Kelly, a barrier-breaking baseball player whose career unfolded across colour lines; Hewburn Greenidge, the first Black graduate of a Canadian medical school west of Ontario; and George Downey, patriarch of the Fighting Downeys boxing family. This season brings these overlooked lives into focus.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> 10 Myths of No.2 10 Myths of No.2 Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:33:33 GMT 43:29 67a24f6d9a67c6bc4ecc8bf1 false https://knockaboutmedia.com/podcasts-2/the-black-hum/ 67a24f6d9a67c6bc4ecc8bf1 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 10-myths-of-no2 full 1 4 In this, a special bonus episode of The Black Hum, we speak with historians Kathy Grant and Mathias Joost to untangle several often repeated myths about No.2 Construction Battalion.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, Lindsay Ruck, Mathias Joost, and Kathy Grant

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring a musical performance "How Great Thou Art" by Reeny Smith & Family


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In this, a special bonus episode of The Black Hum, we speak with historians Kathy Grant and Mathias Joost to untangle several often repeated myths about No.2 Construction Battalion.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, Lindsay Ruck, Mathias Joost, and Kathy Grant

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring a musical performance "How Great Thou Art" by Reeny Smith & Family


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Resonance Resonance Mon, 25 Nov 2024 07:00:50 GMT 20:23 6743d14361ef1e663f787c3e false https://knockaboutmedia.com/podcasts-2/the-black-hum/ 6743d14361ef1e663f787c3e 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 resonance full 1 3 How does a forgotten piece of history become uncovered? In this, our final episode in the series, you will learn about what happened to the men of the No.2 after the war, and how their story came to light decades later.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring a musical performance "How Great Thou Art" by Reeny Smith & Family


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> How does a forgotten piece of history become uncovered? In this, our final episode in the series, you will learn about what happened to the men of the No.2 after the war, and how their story came to light decades later.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring a musical performance "How Great Thou Art" by Reeny Smith & Family


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Notes of Endurance The Notes of Endurance Mon, 18 Nov 2024 07:00:17 GMT 22:05 673a991550b6e3d2a521756d false https://knockaboutmedia.com 673a991550b6e3d2a521756d 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 the-notes-of-endurance full 1 2 If you were once rejected, would you still want to serve? It's 1915, and the Canadian Expeditionary Forces are taking heavy casualties. The growing need for more recruits leads Canadian military leadership to turn toward the very men they had previously barred from service.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring "I Want to Be Ready" & "Live a-Humble" by the Tuskegee Institute Singers


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> If you were once rejected, would you still want to serve? It's 1915, and the Canadian Expeditionary Forces are taking heavy casualties. The growing need for more recruits leads Canadian military leadership to turn toward the very men they had previously barred from service.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussion Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett

Featuring "I Want to Be Ready" & "Live a-Humble" by the Tuskegee Institute Singers


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Service Denied Service Denied Mon, 11 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT 19:38 6731458ca42e23dc4b5186c6 false https://knockaboutmedia.com/podcasts-2/the-black-hum/ 6731458ca42e23dc4b5186c6 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 service-denied full 1 1 Why did Canada not want a so-called "checkerboard army"? In 1914, the Canadian government called on all able-bodied men to serve their country in the Great War. However, when Black men went to enlist, they were turned away. In this first episode in our new series, we look at those early years of the war, when Black Canadians found themselves having to fight for the right to fight.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussing Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Why did Canada not want a so-called "checkerboard army"? In 1914, the Canadian government called on all able-bodied men to serve their country in the Great War. However, when Black men went to enlist, they were turned away. In this first episode in our new series, we look at those early years of the war, when Black Canadians found themselves having to fight for the right to fight.


Join us as we explore the remarkable history of No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s only all-Black battalion during the First World War, uncovering their legacy, contributions, and the untold stories of Black Canadian soldiers in our latest podcast on military history, diversity, and heritage.


*Download our Discussing Questions for your class*


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles

Voice Director Sonia Gemmiti

Recorded by Tyler Rauman

This series features interviews with Lt. Jerome Downey, Sgt. Craig Smith, Douglas Ruck, and Lindsay Ruck.

Additional voices by Keith Francis & Matthew Barnett


A Knockabout Media Production

This podcast was made possible thanks to funding from Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[The Black Hum : The History and Legacy of Canada's All-Black Battalion]]> Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:39:18 GMT 0:30 6721295b2daf1945411d14af false https://knockaboutmedia.com 6721295b2daf1945411d14af 67211a0aa73223e19b231026 coming-soon-the-black-hum trailer In 1914, the world was at war. Thousands of Canadian men rushed to their local enlistment centres, eager to join the fight. But, when Black men went to enlist, they were turned away. It was "a white man's war," they were told. Canada didn't want a "checkerboard army." What followed is a story of rejection and resilience, and of service in the face of bigotry.


From Knockabout Media, this is The Black Hum, a new 3-part series on the history and legacy of Canada's first all-Black battalion. First episode drops November 11.


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles


A Knockabout Media Production | Funded by Veterans Affairs Canada

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In 1914, the world was at war. Thousands of Canadian men rushed to their local enlistment centres, eager to join the fight. But, when Black men went to enlist, they were turned away. It was "a white man's war," they were told. Canada didn't want a "checkerboard army." What followed is a story of rejection and resilience, and of service in the face of bigotry.


From Knockabout Media, this is The Black Hum, a new 3-part series on the history and legacy of Canada's first all-Black battalion. First episode drops November 11.


Written & Hosted by Cindy Charles

Produced by Ryan Barnett & Cindy Charles


A Knockabout Media Production | Funded by Veterans Affairs Canada

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>