‘Beyond Borders’ details 300 years of Black presence

A new classroom resource altered how students across New Brunswick encountered the province’s past when Beyond Borders entered schools and libraries. The book, written by Fredericton based Black history researcher Jennifer Dow, focused on stories that had long remained absent from standard lessons and aimed to broaden how young readers understood local history.

Dow developed the book after identifying a persistent lack of materials addressing Black history within the provincial school system. She set out to ensure that students were presented with a fuller and more accurate account of New Brunswick’s development. Her work unfolded alongside discussions with the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and the final publication was supported by the provincial government as part of a wider effort to expand inclusive education.

Beyond Borders followed more than 300 years of Black presence in New Brunswick, beginning before the arrival of the Loyalists. Arranged chronologically, the book documented the lives of people of African descent across multiple eras of settlement. First hand immigration stories were included to ground historical events in lived experience, allowing readers to connect names dates and places to real families and communities.

The research process relied on original source material. Dow consulted archival records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Massachusetts, along with historic newspapers and online databases. This approach ensured that the narrative rested on documented evidence and reflected voices that had often been excluded from traditional historical accounts.

Although written and illustrated for students in Grades 3 to 5, the book attracted interest from beyond its intended audience. Educators older students and adult readers responded positively, pointing to a broader curiosity about Black history in the region. Beyond Borders was adopted in Anglophone schools throughout New Brunswick as part of everyday classroom instruction rather than being confined to special occasions.

Teachers were supported by supplementary materials that accompanied the book. Classroom activities and online resources were designed to encourage interactive learning. One activity asked students to analyze historical census data drawn from authentic records, offering a practical way to engage with the past.

Work also progressed on a French language edition, which was intended to make the book accessible to Francophone schools and public libraries across the province.

Dow brought a personal connection to the project. A sixth generation New Brunswicker, she traced her family lineage to Black Loyalists who arrived in 1783 as well as to an ancestor born in Trinidad in the 1820s. She also served on the boards of the New Brunswick Black History Society and REACH New Brunswick. Through Beyond Borders, she established an educational resource designed to preserve and share Black histories for future generations.

  New Brunswick