The Baptist Church also had a very strong presence among the black community in Ontario. One of the oldest black churches in Ontario is the First Baptist Church Amherstburg, which began operating as a mission in 1838.

In addition to these church records, the McCurdy Collection includes personal correspondence and papers from Ethel Alexander, an Amherstburg woman who taught as an Anglican missionary in British Honduras (Belize). This combination of education and religious belief inspired many individuals to offer their skills and service beyond their immediate community.

The black community was involved in broader social and cultural pursuits through concerts, clubs and fraternal organizations. The Shubert Lady Quartette performed at the Amherstburg Opera House, ca. 1900.

Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal order. In Ontario, Prince Hall Freemasonry began in 1852. Early black Masonic lodges served a similar purpose to black churches by providing a welcoming social environment for members. Many men in Ontario were Masons, and their wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters were members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Records from black Masonic lodges or fraternal orders, along with clubs, churches, and schools, often provide the earliest written record of black society in Ontario.

Alvin McCurdy’s contribution to the community and the organization was recognized in 1960 by his receipt of the Grand Master’s Award.

Frederick Douglass was a leader in the civil rights movement in the United States, both before and after the Civil War. He promoted progress through education and self help. Women’s social clubs, such as the Frederick Douglass Self-Improvement Club (1898 –1899), and the Buisy Gleanors Club (1887-1891), provided opportunities for local black women to gather, socialize and bond. The minutes and constitutions for these clubs shine a light on the almost-forgotten history of early Ontario black women’s groups

The 20th century saw an organized effort to eliminate discrimination in hiring and terms of employment for black citizens. Alvin McCurdy’s collection provides evidence of this aspect of black history in Ontario.

This flyer, from the Central Citizens’ Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, Windsor, outlines the rights still not available to black people in the 1950s.