Love Letter and Tribute to a Canadian Trailblazer

“Are you the family with the two cars?” That’s what a local business owner in Laval, Québec asked my parents in the early 1980’s.?It was unusual to see ANY family with two vehicles back then, much less a Black family.? The neighborhood was abuzz with curiosity. But, my parents were groundbreakers in so many ways, and worked hard for everything they had, especially my mom, Althea Joseph Charles Seaman.

Today, March 6th, our family is marking what would have been her birthday, as we do annually. We each have our own private ways of celebrating her memory, but this year, I've decided to celebrate her publicly, as September 2023 will mark 10 years since she passed away.

She arrived in Canada on September 15th, 1959, from the Commonwealth of Dominica. (Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic. They’re two different countries in the Caribbean. Dominica – population just over 70 thousand - is an English-speaking country, but many locals also speak patois, sort of like a French creole).?

Althea was born and raised in the town of Portsmouth, Dominica. She was the third of four children. She grew up as a member of a prominent family on the island. Her parents were well-respected businessman Alfred Peter Charles – known as A.P. Charles – and Eutina Joseph. The family had a small grocery and liquor store, among other businesses. During World War ll, warships would regularly dock in the nearby port. Soldiers would often visit their shop.

Althea arrived at the Montreal Airport in September 1959 with several other women from the Caribbean, as part of the West Indian Domestic Scheme. ?It was an initiative launched in 1955 by the Government of Canada to fill the labor gap left after more and more white women started entering the workforce in the post-war years and were no longer taking on roles that involved domestic labor.?

Before she arrived in Canada though, Althea was teaching at a primary school in Dominica when the country’s government announced that Canada was launching a new immigration program and were looking for single young women to apply. When she got the chance to come to Canada, she left her teaching job. ?She believed it would be a chance to visit another part of the world and seek out new opportunities for her future.

A total misconception that Althea, like many racialized immigrants with accents often face, is that they are not educated. Far from it! Many of the women who arrived in Canada as part of the Domestic Scheme, were well-educated in their respective home countries. Like mom, some were teachers, others were nurses and civil servants. They saw an opportunity and they took a leap of faith! That’s inspirational! Many would go on to achieve incredible success in Canada and abroad, in education, business, the medical field and even politics at all levels.

During the 1950’s and 60’s, women who arrived as part of the Domestic Scheme were immediately given landed immigrant status. One year after fulfilling their agreement to work as domestic laborers, the women were allowed to leave that employment (or stay on) and seek other opportunities in Canada and beyond. It’s my understanding that about 3,000 women came to Canada during those early years of the program – reports suggest that nearly half of them settled in Montreal, which led to the development of the city’s vibrant Black culture. ?Many others moved to Toronto; a handful went to other parts of Canada and the United States, introducing their foods, flavors, styles and cultures to their adopted communities. Many like mom, would later sponsor relatives from their home countries and they too were blessed with the opportunity to settle in North America and achieve great things. (The program that lured Caribbean women to Canada to work as domestic workers changed in later years.)

While working for a doctor and his family in their home (relatives say he was a doctor), Althea also took night classes at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University).?She wasn’t wasting any time! ?After working for the family for a year, she left to pursue her dreams. She earned a certificate in hairdressing. She also worked various jobs, including at Eaton’s in Montreal and later worked in telecommunications for almost 25 years. ?She even became one of the first Black Caribbean women in Canada to buy a plot of land in 1966. She was still in her twenties at the time. A rare feat in those days! ?She was also a talented seamstress, who made many of her own outfits, as well as mine and my sister's, when we were kids. She made my high school graduation dress and even made all the bridesmaids' dresses for her friend's wedding. She always had the entrepreneurial spirit - likely inherited from her Dad A.P. Charles - and tried her hand at several businesses of her own over the years, including a small grocery store she and our Dad operated for a couple years on Boulevard Décarie in Montreal.

Speaking of our Dad - Richard Seaman - he was one of the first Black foremen in the world. A self-taught master carpenter and cabinetmaker, he was born and raised in the village of Vieille Case on the north coast of Dominica.?After some time in England, he moved to Montreal, Canada, where he started working as a cabinetmaker, before quickly becoming a foreman in the 1960’s – a role he held for many decades. He oversaw the building and set-up of exhibits at trade shows and conventions in Canada and around the world.?He even helped build some Canadian museums. He’s told us stories about working in places around the U.S. and other parts of the world, where Black people were never hired to lead teams in the building and construction industries. So, people were always shocked to learn he was the man in charge!?But he defied the odds! Not too shabby for a kid who grew up in the countryside, at a time when they had no running water or electricity in their home and used an outhouse as a toilet.

Richard and Althea were married in Montreal, Canada. Juggling work and her role as a wife and mother to three children, mom managed to earn two Bachelor of Arts Degrees from Concordia University: one in 1986 with a Major in English, the second BA in French Studies was earned in 2001. Keep in mind, there was nothing digital back then, so she had to be meticulous with scheduling hers and our daily routines. Everything had to be done in person. But, we almost always had dinner together at the table as a family, when we were kids.

She instilled a sense of ambition, curiosity and open mindedness in all three of her children: Herbert Seaman, myself Heather Seaman and Hazel Seaman Williams. ?We were always one of the only Black families wherever we lived and in all of our activities over many years: ?figure skating, dance classes, track and field, basketball, gymnastics, diving and swimming lessons, piano, guitar, tennis, singing, football, hockey (my brother was a skilled player, who competed in the sport for many years and was one of the few Black amateur hockey players in his day, long before the wave of Black hockey players we’ve seen in more recent years making it into the NHL.)

Mom wanted us to reach for the stars and worked so hard to guide us there. She was so ahead of her time that when we were teenagers, we went on a trip to visit the Louvre in Paris and Buckingham Palace in London. It was only later as an adult that I realized how unique that was and how hard my parents had worked to save up enough money for that trip! Several family trips over the years and frequent picnics in the park and other family outings exploring different parts of Québec when we were kids proved that. Our parents came from humble beginnings, but despite dealing with racism and other challenges, they worked extremely hard to show us how to live without fear, and teach us that we too are entitled to live abundant lives like every other human being.

In addition to all she accomplished, Althea Joseph Charles Seaman, started the first Black community organization in Laval, Québec, in the early 1980’s, the “Ville Laval Black Community Association”, in an effort to bring English-speaking Afro-Canadians and the growing French-speaking Black communities together – something for which she was recently honored by Ville de Laval during a BHM event in late February, attended by Mayor Stéphane Boyer, city councilors and others, including representatives with the non-profit SCAMA, which had a hand in bringing mom's name to the current council’s attention. Our family was honored and grateful to see her efforts recognized in this way. She began organizing the first Black History Month events in the city decades ago, holding annual talent showcases and breakfast events that were well-attended by the community, clergy and politicians from all levels of government.

Despite suffering a potentially fatal aortic aneurysm in November 2001, she kept pressing forward to try and keep the organization going, before passing the baton on to Alix Rey and others in later years, to continue the legacy of showcasing the contributions of the Black Community in Québec and Canada.?Over many years, she was also a volunteer or participant with organizations like SCAMA, Agape, the Chomedey Seniors Club, the Royal Canadian Legion, among others - again, often the only Black member, who inspired others to join or participate. ?We often had dance parties, dinners and picnics with guests at our home, where she welcomed people of all backgrounds, different religions, English and French, Black and White. We had friends of all races. And we learned about each other. Our home was like the United Nations.

She exemplified that Black people are not a monolith and our stories are so vibrant and diverse that they need to be shared. That was part of her life’s work. To showcase the incredible contributions and accomplishments of Black Canadians – French and English – to the wider community in Canada and abroad.?She was among the honorees at the Québec Legislature in February 2012 for her lifelong efforts as a community builder and later that year she was the recipient of Queen Elizabeth the II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

She had so many goals and great ideas – one of which I’ve been sitting on for years – so if there are any interested publishers reading this, message me!

When she passed away on September 22, 2013, it left a huge void in our lives. Hundreds turned out to pay their respects at her funeral in Montreal, including relatives from overseas and former co-workers and friends she hadn’t seen in decades. But, they came to let us know that she had an impact on their lives. A Federal Member of Parliament even dropped by our family home to express his sympathies and extend condolences from colleagues in Ottawa. He gave us a small plaque in her memory. We were truly touched by everyone’s messages to us…and her.

As we mark International Women’s Day this week, celebrating the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women globally, I want to salute all the extraordinary, unstoppable, hardworking women, like my mom, Althea Joseph Charles Seaman, who paved the way for so many of us to be able to do what we do, live where we live and fulfill our dreams. Thank you Mom.

With Love,

Heather