Transcript of podcast episode 57
Intro
Josée Arnold (JA): Hello Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast listeners. I'm Josée Arnold, your host! 2019 has been an exciting year for us as we continue to work for you, showcasing the amazing items in our collection and the fascinating stories behind them. We wanted to give you a quick rundown on some of the things we have planned in the upcoming months.
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As the custodian of our distant past and recent history, Library and Archives Canada is a key resource for all Canadians who wish to gain a better understanding of who they are, individually and collectively. Library and Archives Canada acquires, processes, preserves and provides access to our documentary heritage and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions. In the first upcoming episode, we will explore how LAC acquires this documentary heritage through donations, purchases and through the transfer of government records, by focusing on some Second World War items recently acquired by LAC.
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In the early 20th century, no spectator sport captivated the world like long distance running. And no runner captured the hearts of Canadians like a Six Nations Indigenous man by the name of Cogwagee in the Onondaga language or Tom Longboat in English. Cogwagee translates as "everything" in Onondaga. In the early 1900s Tom Longboat emerged as the fastest long distance runner in the world and is often considered to be one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. In this episode, we explore the exceptional life of Tom Longboat. From his victory at the 1907 Boston Marathon, where he shattered the previous world record by five minutes, to his death-defying service in the First World War, he lived an extraordinary life.
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Dan McCaffery believes that Tommy Burns was one of the best pound for pound boxers who ever lived. Measuring a mere 5'7", Burns was the shortest man ever to hold the world heavyweight title, and the only Canadian born to do so as well. The first champ to travel the globe defending his title, he defeated the best boxers in the U.S, England, Ireland, France and Australia. He was also the first heavyweight champ to defend his title against an African American, in an era when most fighters adhered to the so-called 'colour line'. Burns had over half a dozen contests with black boxers before his clash with the legendary Jack Johnson, and is credited with being the first white heavyweight to give a black man a chance to win the title. For this episode we travelled to Sarnia, Ontario to chat with author and award-winning journalist Dan McCaffery. Dan will tell us about Tommy Burns' humble beginnings, to his hard-won success, a heroic Canadian who continuously beat the odds to become the champion of the world.
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We hope you will join us for these upcoming episodes! If you haven't already subscribed to our podcast, you can do so via Apple Podcasts, the RSS feed on our website or wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about our podcast or to catch up with previous episodes, please visit us at bac-lac.gc.ca/podcasts.