Black Strathcona: Hogan's Alley

From the early 1900s to the 1960s, the Eastside neighbourhood of Strathcona was home to Vancouver's first and only black community. BlackStrathcona is comprised of ten video stories that celebrate some of the remarkable people and places that made this community vibrant and unique. Stories like Jimi & Nora, feature musician Jimi Hendrix who as a boy in the 1940's lived in Strathcona with his grandmother, and Vie's Chicken & Steaks, featuring Vie Moore who ran a soulfood haven on Union Street frequented by both locals and big name celebrities like Billie Holiday and Sammie Davis Jr.
Visitors can experience BlackStrathcona in two ways: they can access the videos via the website, www.blackstrathcona.com, or, they can experience it interactively by taking a self-guided tour through the neighbourhood. The website displays the story locations, and the videos can be downloaded from street signs to a mobile device and viewed where the stories took place.

[@martykong3592]

:) WELL DONE indeed! I grew up at end of Hogans Alley on Jackson, and REMEMBER the Jones Family to this day! Sad it was torn down, and SO MANY Families lived so well together! THANKS MUCH and AL the BEST! Cheers ! ! :)

[@gvevers1]

I knew Jimmie Hendrix's Grandma lived there. I grew up in Burnaby and knew that the viaducts were the beginning of a freeway system that was stopped. Thank God! Just a little sad knowing this happened. Thanks so much for educating me!

[@bruceyoung4636]

The Crump's were close family friends. Ronnie and Robert sang at my aunt and uncles wedding. When I was young my grandparents lived on E Georgia across the street from them, I could always count on a milk and cookies when I went to visit. Thank you for sharing some of Vancouver's history.

[@CourageousKitchen]

Thanks for keeping this little known history alive.

[@TheSvartulfr]

I'm glad you posted this. There is now a part of Vancouver's history I am richer for knowing. I've never heard of Hogan's Alley untill today. Unfortunately, the Black community suffered because of "progress." Please make more videos.

[@Lojo7820]

Ashamed that I grew up in Vancouver and I’m only just learning about Hogans Alley. Thank you for sharing this important part of our city’s history.

[@Serpicorider]

Vancouver is so quick to tear down anything and everything historical and interesting. Great video man ✌️

[@philmakow2487]

No mention of the Jimi Hendrix family connection, yet still a great story with excellent photos.

[@kathyboocat2098]

Thanks for the nice history of the neighbourhood. I will share the link with others who grew up there during the 40s/50s/60s. The Crump twins did not attend the recent annual East End dinner. The last time I saw them, they were not in the best of health like many of us at this stage of our lives.

[@SHLVideos]

Such an important part of our history. Thank you so much for putting this video together.

[@galeleitch7497]

Fascinating! Thank you for this video. I've lived in Vancouver all my life - albeit in a rather isolated West Vancouver - and never knew of this part of its history!

[@fingersmcginty]

Wish I had visited back then, but I kept to the North Shore mostly. A shame. Good intro to this part of Vancouver's history.

[@TheWanderunghike]

cool video, and informative.

[@barbthomas771]

Love this clip. Thank you for this History lesson. Would there be a way to track specific families?

[@aaronmuirhead120]

I lived on Gore St. between Main and Prior, for several years.... I was involved with the Anti-Poverty Committee fighting against gentrification in the DTES... and this history, of black strathcona, Hogans Alley was well known and was used as an example of the real dangers of gentrification... It's a depressing irony that where once there was a vibrant community, that was bulldozed for a rediculous, uneccesary roadway is now home to the homeless, and even they are under constant threat of eviction...

[@ericaespinosa4030]

@three blind mice No, you are

[@IceManLikeGervin]

Respect!!!

[@BJ-xh8tg]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJecfWmCfM-UhMk&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1Z42EjZrJzWZNWdTSVshYaS3vyFoE-S8PQeIwkXplqsxJGjsxX78S089g

[@davidbanks566]

More on Fielding Spotts Sr. bcblackhistory.ca/fielding-spotts/

[@robertharrison9802]

Redwood Venturia 199

[@Candle-Light.]

Unfortunately this area can now be called Fentanyl Alley."

[@robertharrison9802]

Ci 2022

[@sky.3485]

ok

[@robertharrison5758]

Tha Black's & Chinese can stick around ,But the IRISH GOTTA GO.

[@Sahentry]

this comment is not craic

[@michaelkennedy4444]

In the early 60s my father and I used to go to London Drugs on Main to purchase camera equipment. If there were blacks living in that area they must have left because I don’t recall seeing any and when I asked my parents they said it was predominantly Asian in that area. So this statement on how the viaducts destroyed a “Black Neighborhood “ is probably an exaggeration.

[@galeleitch7497]

Other sources say that the land was expropriated to build the viaduct. I love the viaduct, but it's a tad upsetting that at least part of that neighbourhood was lost. However, a growing population has growing needs and time cannot, unfortunately, stand still. Nonetheless, it is a fascinating part of Vancouver's history that I, for example, a person who grew up in Vancouver since the age of 3 in 1952, knew nothing about.

[@debschmitz3402]

Absolutely. The folks whose history lives in this neighbourhood should come to hear your words of wisdom, Michael Kennedy. It's too bad their grandparents and great-grandparents, who lived all their lives as black people, are gone now, and can't learn from you the true nature of their identity. So very sad.