It is #SikhHeritageMonth and this is the story of Harnam Kaur!

Born in 1886 in present-day Pakistan, she married Bhag Singh who lived in a nearby village. Her husband came to Canada in 1906 where he protested the exclusionary immigration laws of Canada.

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In 1910, he came back to India to get Harnam Kaur and their two children, to take them to Canada.
Their goal with immigrating the entire family was to establish the rights of wives to join husbands in Canada.
This was easier said than done.

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📸keeratkaur.ca/harnam-kaur Image
To prevent immigration from India, the Canadian government required immigrants to make a continuous journey from their country to Canada.
When Harnam Kaur & her family attempted to enter San Francisco, then Seattle but they were sent back to Hong Kong by the Americans.

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In January 1912, they arrived in Vancouver but their journey was not continuous, so the men were accepted as returning residents but the women and children were ordered deported.
Organizations like the National Council of Women of Canada protested Sikhs settling in Canada

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Sadly, Harnam Kaur died in 1914, nine days after giving birth to a daughter. Her husband was also killed outside the Vancouver Sikh Temple.
The Temple took over the care of their two children, while the baby girl was placed with a white family.

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📸keeratkaur.ca/harnam-kaur Image

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More from @CraigBaird

Jul 9
On July 9, 1960, seven-year-old Roger Woodward was swept over Niagara Falls. He survived, becoming the first known person to survive going over the falls without a barrel.
Many daredevils have attempted to do the same thing.
This is the story of some of them.

🧵 1/13 The photo is a black-and-white image depicting a nurse attending to a young boy in a hospital bed. The nurse, dressed in a traditional uniform with a cap, is gently adjusting the boy's arm, which appears to be bandaged or injured. The boy is lying on a pillow, wearing a patterned hospital gown, and has a serious expression on his face. The background shows a simple hospital room with a bedside table, and the image has a vintage feel, likely from the mid-20th century.
Annie Edson Taylor:

On Oct. 24, 1901, the 63-year-old Taylor went over the falls in a custom made barrel of oak and iron, padded with a mattress. She survived the journey with just a small gash on her forehead.

🧵 2/13 The photo is a black-and-white image featuring a woman standing next to a large wooden barrel. The woman is dressed in a long, dark dress with a high collar and a large hat adorned with feathers, typical of early 20th-century fashion. She has a flower pinned to her dress and is holding a small object in one hand. The barrel is inscribed with the text "ANNIE EDSON TAYLOR HEROINE OF NIAGARA FALLS OCT 24 1901 RUSSELL MILLS," indicating it is associated with Annie Edson Taylor's famous barrel ride over Niagara Falls. The background is plain, focusing attention on the woman and the bar...
Bobby Leach:

On July 25, 1911, Leach went over the falls in a steel barrel. While he survived the plunge, he spent six months in hospitals recovering from a fractured jaw and two broken knee caps. He later died after injuring his leg slipping on an orange peel.

🧵 3/13 The photo is a black-and-white image featuring a man sitting on a large, cylindrical metal barrel with rivets and a small window or hatch. The man is dressed in early 20th-century attire, including a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark trousers, a bow tie, a cap, and boots, and he is holding a cane. The background shows the misty and powerful presence of Niagara Falls, suggesting the barrel is designed for a stunt, likely related to going over the falls. The overall scene has a vintage feel, consistent with historical daredevil feats.
Read 13 tweets
Jun 24
Murray Sinclair was a Senator, judge and university chancellor.
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This is the story of a lifelong champion of Indigenous rights.

🧵 1/12 The photo shows an individual with long, gray hair wearing a dark shirt adorned with a prominent red design featuring abstract, wing-like patterns. The person is also wearing a necklace with a round pendant and a few beads. The background is a plain, textured wall in a neutral color.
Murray Sinclair was born on Jan. 24, 1951 in Selkirk, Manitoba. Raised on the St. Peter's Reserve, he was his class valedictorian and Athlete of the Year at his high school in 1968.
He attended the University of Manitoba but left to care for his grandparents.

🧵 2/12 The photo is a black-and-white image of four children standing outdoors. The child on the far left wears a checkered shirt with overalls. The second child from the left is a girl in a polka-dotted dress with a collar. The third child, standing behind, wears a plaid shirt, and the child on the far right is dressed in a sweater and pants. The background shows a rural setting with trees and a fence. The photo appears aged, with visible scratches and wear.
In 1971, while working at the Selkirk Friendship Centre, he was elected vice president of the Manitoba Metis Federation. He was also the executive assistant to MLA Howard Pawley.
In 1976, Sinclair enrolled at the University of Winnipeg. He then attended law school.

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Read 13 tweets
Jun 24
Olga Kotelko may be the greatest athlete Canada has ever produced.
She held 30 world records and won over 750 gold medals. And she did it all from her 70s to 90s.
This is the story of this legendary athlete!

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Olga Kotelko was born on March 2, 1919 in Smuts, Saskatchewan. When she was 22, she graduated from Saskatoon Normal School and taught at a one-room school near Vonda, Saskatchewan.
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Read 11 tweets
Jun 23
On June 23, 1611, Henry Hudson, his son and six others were put into a boat in Hudson Bay by mutineers and cast adrift. From that point, they disappeared from history.
So what happened to Henry Hudson?
Let's explore the mystery

🧵1/14 The image depicts a scene with three individuals on a wooden boat surrounded by icy waters and towering icebergs. The background features snow-covered mountains under a cloudy sky. One person is seated on the left, wearing a fur-lined garment and a red hat, appearing to be in contemplation or conversation with the others. Another individual, dressed in dark clothing, sits in the middle, holding the hand of a child who is seated on the floor of the boat. The child is dressed in warm, colorful clothing.
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Jun 22
On June 22, 1971, Joni Mitchell's magnum opus album, Blue, was released.
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The album is celebrated to this day by critics and fans alike.
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The first three albums in Mitchell's career were acclaimed but by 1970 she needed a break from performing.
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Read 12 tweets
Jun 15
Tommy Prince was one of the most decorated soldiers in Canadian history through two different wars.
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Read 21 tweets

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