Thank You for Keeping Us On Track

Artist: Jordan Sook

Curator: Alica Hall

Date of Release: March 23, 2021

Thank You For Keeping Us On Track is a fifteen-foot sculpture by multidisciplinary artist Jordan Sook, erected and exhibited within Union Station, North America’s largest transit hub, for three months as part of Nia Centre and Toronto Union’s Black Futures Month programming. Exhibited during the pandemic amidst widespread lockdowns within the city Toronto, this project pays tribute to the Black porters who formed the first Black Railway Union in North America (1917). Their contributions helped to improve labour conditions in Canada and lay the framework for future unions by other collectives.

Thank You For Keeping Us On Track helps bring to light the under-told stories of Black Torontonians’ contributions, struggles, and triumphs in order to share a sense of empowerment amongst the Black community and a greater understanding of the city’s history. Thank You for Keeping Us on Track poses questions surrounding how we as a culture recognize, honour, and interpret the legacies of marginalized contributors to Canadian economics and history, particularly by Black Canadians.

In order to develop and present learning opportunities for the general public surrounding the historical significance of the Thank You For Keeping Us on Track, an artist talk was held between curator Alica Hall and Jordan Sook. During this artist talk, Jordan shared further information about the legacies and contributions of the first Black Railway Union in North America, as well as his research process in developing his piece.

Assistant: Nia Mascoll-Calender

Communications: Jane Phillips, and Lidia Abraha

Installation: Kim Gravel

Historical Research Consultant: Meghan Swaby

Producers:  Adom Acheampong, Alexa Polenz, Oliviana Cino and Syma Shah 

Video Producer: Danny Simpson

Videographer, Director, Editor: Devante Mowatt