It is #ItalianHeritageMonth and this is the story of Angelina Napolitano, who brought domestic abuse to national awareness

Napolitano was born in Naples, Italy on March 12, 1882 & came to Canada in 1909 with her husband Pietro, settling in Sault Ste. Marie.

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The couple had four children but the marriage was abusive. Pietro often hit and threatened Angelino. In November 1910, he stabbed her nine times in the face, neck, shoulder, chest & arms with a pocket knife. He was charged but received a suspended sentence.

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In the winter of 1910-11, Pietro started to pressure Angelina to earn money through prostitution.
On April 16, 1911, while she was six months pregnant, Pietro told her to go out and prostitute herself or he would kill her.
He said she had until he woke up to earn money.

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As he slept, she took an axe and hit him four times in the head, killing him. She then went to her neighbour and said "I just killed a pig"
She waited for the police to arrive as she held her youngest child.
She was put on trial on May 9, 1911. The trial lasted 3 hours.

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Her lawyer was the first to use the "battered woman defense" but the judge said it was inadmissible evidence.
The jury returned a guilty verdict & asked for clemency. Instead, the judge sentenced her to death. Her execution date was set for Aug. 9.

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Her execution date was one month after the due date for her baby.
The media coverage of her story was typically racist, calling her a hot-blooded foreigner.
The public saw her differently, and someone who had suffered in her marriage. Public outcry hit a fever pitch.

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Sir Allen Aylesworth, the federal Minister of Justice received many letters and petitions asking for clemency.
On July 14, 1911, her sentence was commuted. She served 11 years in Kingston & upon her parole, lived a quiet life until she died on Sept. 4, 1932.

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More from @CraigBaird

Nov 24
On this day in 2020, Fred Sasakamoose died.
He was one of the first Indigenous players to play in the NHL.
But there is so much more to his story than his time on the NHL ice.
Let's learn more about him :)

🧵1/10 This black-and-white photograph captures a dynamic moment in an ice hockey game. The player, wearing a jersey from the "Black Hawks," is intensely focused on the puck, creating a spray of ice as he maneuvers it with his stick. The action and determination on his face, along with his posture, suggest a fast-paced and competitive game environment. The background shows the smooth surface of the ice rink, adding to the sense of motion and speed in the image.
Fred Sasakamoose was born on Dec. 25, 1933 in the Big River First Nation. At birth, he was given a Cree name meaning "stand firm".
Fred grew up on the Ahtahkakoop Reserve and became close with his grandfather who taught him how to skate using bob skates over moccasins.

🧵2/10 This image depicts a welcome sign for the community of Attawapiskat Cree Nation, established in 1941. The sign features traditional Cree imagery, including a teepee and a person wearing a headdress, symbolizing the cultural heritage of the community. The sign is constructed with wooden beams, giving it a rustic appearance. The background shows a snowy landscape with some vegetation and hay bales, indicating a rural and possibly northern location.
When Fred was six, he was forcefully taken from his home with his brother and sent to the Residential School at Duck Lake.
At the school, he dealt with abuse. He remained at the school until he was 15.
While at the school, he also played organized hockey.

🧵3/10 This black-and-white photograph shows a large, multi-story brick building, likely a school or institutional structure. The building has a symmetrical design with multiple windows and a central entrance featuring steps leading up to it. The architecture suggests it is from an earlier era, possibly mid-20th century. The surrounding area appears to be open land with some trees and a fence visible on the right side, indicating a rural or semi-rural setting.
Read 11 tweets
Nov 24
For the past 120 years, Toronto's Santa Claus Parade has been a fixture of the Christmas season.
What began with Santa walking from Union Station to Eaton's in 1904, is now the oldest Santa Claus Parade in the world.
Let's learn more about it :)

🧵1/12 This image depicts a festive scene with a person dressed as Santa Claus in a red suit, waving, and sitting in a sleigh filled with gifts. The sleigh is being pulled by reindeer, which are part of a parade or public event. The background shows tall buildings, suggesting this is taking place in an urban setting. This type of scene is commonly associated with Christmas parades, where Santa Claus makes an appearance to celebrate the holiday season.
It all began with Eaton's, who simply had Santa Claus walk to their store to greet children in 1904.
The first official Santa Claus Parade was held on Dec. 2, 1905, and consisted of one float. Once again, Santa went from Union Station to the Eaton’s store.

🧵2/12 This image is a vintage illustration titled "The Arrival of Santa Claus at Toyland." It depicts Santa Claus emerging from a large trunk labeled "Santa" and "TRUNK." The trunk also has a label indicating "From Toronto, Toyland, Fifth Floor." The illustration is accompanied by text at the bottom, which reads:  "He Will Open the Big Trunk at exactly seven minutes past nine to-morrow morning. - Let every boy and girl, man and woman, be there - Toyland - Fifth Floor. Remember the Big Trunk Opening at 9:07 a.m. sharp, by the real Old Santa Claus. Every...
These early parades were a huge hit and each year crowds, and the number of floats, grew.
From 1910 to 1912, the parade was held over the course of two days as the popularity of the event grew.
With each year, more people and more floats were part of the parade.

🧵3/12 This illustration, titled "Santa Claus is Here," depicts a joyful scene of children greeting Santa Claus. Santa is shown with a large sack of toys, and he is surrounded by children who are eagerly welcoming him. The text below the image reads:  "And the boys and girls of Toronto will never forget, as long as they live, the Coming to Toyland of Santa Claus on Saturday.  His train was a little late and the crowds all over the store were waiting. But when he appeared? He was, and welcomed royally. The crush in Toyland was the greatest ever, and while there was increased space th...
Read 13 tweets
Nov 23
In 2001, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner was released.
It was the first feature film written, directed and acted entirely in the Inuktitut language.
Today, it is considered by many critics to be the greatest Canadian film ever made.
Let's learn more about it :)

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The film is set around 1000 CE and retells an Inuit legend that has been passed down through generations via oral tradition.
Director Zacharias Kunuk (pictured) and writer Paul Angilirq and production team members all heard the legend when they were young.

🧵2/15 The image shows a person with graying hair, wearing glasses, and dressed in a dark-colored shirt. The background is plain, suggesting a neutral or studio setting. The individual appears to be mature, with a calm demeanor.
The story tells of two brothers who are betrayed by their wives. As their rivals attempt to kill them, the fast runner escapes across the ice, naked and barefoot. After being rescued, he sets up his own ambush and kills those who tried to kill him.

🧵3/15 The image shows two individuals with long hair, one of whom is wearing a headband. Both appear to be shirtless, and they are outdoors under a clear blue sky. The setting seems to be a natural environment, possibly a desert or a similar arid landscape. The two individuals are looking at each other and smiling, suggesting a moment of camaraderie or shared amusement.
Read 16 tweets
Nov 20
While we tend to think of the K*K*K as something that only existed in the United States, there was a period of time in the 1920s when the group was very large, and politically powerful, in Western Canada.
Let's learn more about this dark time.

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Throughout this thread, I will refer to the group as K3 since the other name may get flagged.
When K3 sprang up in Canada, it was a bit different from the American version.
Rather than focusing on Blacks, it focused mostly on French-Canadians, immigrants and Catholics.

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The K3 began farther to the east in Canada at first in the early-1920s.
In 1926, dynamite was detonated in a catholic church in Barrie, Ontario.
The man caught said he was ordered to blow up the church by K3.

🧵3/12 The image is a black-and-white photograph showing three individuals dressed in robes and tall, pointed hats associated with the Ku Klux Klan. They are standing outdoors in front of a building with a circular facade and columns, possibly an official or historical structure. Two of the individuals are holding a large flag bearing the Union Jack. The attire and flag suggest a formal or ceremonial context, likely from the early to mid-20th century. The setting and the presence of the Union Jack indicate this photograph might have been taken in a Commonwealth country where the Klan had a presenc...
Read 13 tweets
Nov 18
On this day in 1882, The Sherlock Holmes of Saskatchewan, Frances Gertrude McGill, was born.
She went on to influence the development of forensic pathology and solved several unsolved crimes.
Let's learn more about her :)

🧵1/12 The image is a black and white photograph of a person working at a desk with scientific equipment. The person is holding a human skull and appears to be examining or working on it with tools. There are various items on the desk, including what looks like a microscope on the left, several small containers, and other scientific instruments. The setting suggests a laboratory or research environment focused on anthropology or forensic science.
Born in Minnedosa, Manitoba, both of her parents died from typhoid fever in 1900 after visiting a county fair and drinking contaminated water.
As an adult, McGill studied medicine at the University of Manitoba. She earned her degree in 1915 and worked in Winnipeg.

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In 1918, she joined the Saskatchewan Department of Health just as the Spanish Flu was raging across Canada.
Two years later, she became a provincial pathologist in Saskatchewan. In 1922, she became the director of the provincial laboratory.

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Read 13 tweets
Nov 17
Bluenose was such an icon of Canada that it now appears on our dime.
A champion schooner, she became the pride of Canada.
But then she was sold to work to work as a freighter, and left to rot on a reef near Haiti.
Let's learn more about her :)

🧵1/16 The image depicts a vintage photograph of a large sailing ship with multiple masts and sails fully unfurled, navigating through the water. The ship has the number "2" on its sail, indicating it might be participating in a race or regatta. The background shows a distant shoreline with some buildings and possibly other boats, suggesting it is near a coastal area. The photograph has a sepia tone, giving it an old, historical feel.
The story of Bluenose begins in 1920 when she was designed by William James Roue to both fish and race.
Initially, she was designed with a waterline length of 36.6 metres, which was 2.4 metres too long for competition. She was redesigned to fix that problem.

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Built of Nova Scotian pine, spruce, birch and oak, her masts were made from Douglas fir.
During the keel-laying ceremony, the Governor General, the Duke of Devonshire, drove a golden spike into the timber.
In all, she cost $35,000 to build.

🧵3/16 The image is a black-and-white photograph of a historical scene at a harbor. It features a large sailing ship named "Bluenose" from Lunenburg, docked at the pier. Several individuals are on the deck and in the foreground, some wearing hats typical of early to mid-20th century fashion. The background shows an urban landscape with buildings and a sign that reads "Cunard Line" indicating a shipping company. The photograph captures a moment of maritime activity, possibly from the early 20th century, given the style of the ship and attire of the people.
Read 17 tweets

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