Standing in the Doorway receives Governor General’s Award

A project credited with fostering a greater understanding of York Region’s Chinese heritage is receiving the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming.

“Standing in the Doorway reminds us that Canada’s history contains both pain and triumph,” Canada’s National History Society President and CEO Melony Ward says. “This outstanding project wove together so many important threads from the past, adding to what we know about our country and deepening our understanding of what it means to be Canadian.”

Markham Museum, the York Region District School Board Museum and Archives, the Tribute to Early Chinese Immigrants Foundation Canada and the University of Toronto worked together on Standing in the Doorway: Lived Histories and Experiences of the Chinese Community.

“This award is a profound honour and a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of the community and project partners behind Standing in the Doorway,” says Markham Museum Curator Janet Reid.

The project commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Its aim was to acknowledge both historical and contemporary examples of racism, while highlighting the richness and diversity of York Region’s Chinese community as evidenced in the arts, culture and sport.

Through new oral histories, loaned artifacts and family archives, the project team created a website, a physical exhibition to tour other museums and a travelling school program with educational resources. Members of the local Chinese community contributed personal stories of resilience, perseverance and belonging.

“The invaluable contributions of our advisors, participants, educators, students and families were crucial to the success of this project,” says Rebekah Mitchell, Curator of the York Region District School Board Museum and Archives. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Canada’s History Society for this recognition and to the Chinese community in York Region for their active involvement in sharing this important story.”

The Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming is administered by Canada’s History Society. A panel of judges selects one recipient organization or project from an anglophone community and another from a francophone community. Each receives a $2,500 prize.

To learn more about the 2024 recipients, visit CanadasHistory.ca/GGHA2024.

Photo courtesy of Canada’s History Society.