The Portuguese Canadian History Project | Projeto de História Luso-Canadiana (PCHP | PHLC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008, and directed by Gilberto Fernandes, Susana Miranda, Raphael Costa and Emanuel da Silva. The PCHP | PHLC is committed to locating historical sources in the hands of private individuals and organizations in the Portuguese-Canadian communities and having them placed in the care of the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, York University Libraries. Organizations and individuals like the Portuguese Interagency Network, the Portuguese Canadian Democratic Association, Canadian Auto Workers Local 40, Domingos Marques, Ilda Januário, Ana Fernandes-Iria, and David Higgs have entrusted us with their collections.

Overall, the PCHP | PHLC works towards preserving, democratizing and disseminating historical knowledge pertaining to immigrants and their descendants in Canada, particularly those of Portuguese origin. We believe that historiography, even that which is produced ‘from below’, remains inaccessible to most, including those ‘ordinary’ men and women to whom it intends to provide a voice. Without dispelling the importance of the journal article or monograph, we consider it imperative for the discipline of history to explore other formats and methods of producing and teaching history in order to capture the public attention it deserves.

While the PCHP | PHLC continues to pursue archival collections, we are also focused on using some of the material collected to develop a number of public history initiatives meant to showcase the Portuguese-Canadian experience. The online exhibits in this website is one tool in that program. The PCHP | PHLC can be reached at prtcan.history@gmail.com.

For more information on the collections transferred by the PCHP | PHLC, on our past and future activities, and other relevant information, please visit our blog here.