New book set to fill in the ‘gaps’ in local history with under represented voices in ‘Untold Oshawa’

A more inclusive look at Oshawa’s history is off to the printers, with untold stories that go beyond tales of industrialists and pioneers set for release November 19.

Untold Oshawa is the Oshawa Museum’s contribution to the city’s centennial celebrations, with the book hoping to fill in the “missing gaps” in the city’s rich history.

“Many of the history books of Oshawa overlook the contributions of Black residents, the Jewish community and the early Asian residents, as well as contributions from women,” Oshawa Museum Community Engagement Coordinator Lisa Terech explained. “The books also just scratch the surface in talking about the experiences of workers and there are few stories on the Indigenous people who have called this place home for time immemorial.”

Untold Oshawa, co-written by Terech and Oshawa Museum Curator Melissa Cole, is an anthology that was also a passion project with contributions from many people at the museum, as well as from many different communities in the city.

It’s also been a “really great project for making connections” and adding to the history archives at the museum, Terech added.

“It’s our nod to Oshawa’s centennial.”

Lisa Terech and Melissa Cole of the Oshawa Museum with a draft copy of ‘Untold Oshawa’

Research for the book began in 2019 and ramped up on the last year to get the book done in time for Oshawa’s centennial. Untold Oshawa expands on the commonly accepted narrative of Oshawa’s history by developing an awareness of local history that includes more points of view and to examine wider aspects of the community’s past.

Chapters include explorations of Oshawa’s Black history, Jewish history, women in politics, displaced persons who settled in Oshawa, Indigenous history, labour history, and more. It is a book that celebrates Oshawa’s culture and diversity and highlights the myriad of stories that have played a role in forming the city but that have been underrepresented in the history books so far.

“It’s about telling people’s stories in their own voices,” Terech said.

You can order a copy of Untold Oshawa, which blends meticulous research with accessible and engaging prose, at https://bit.ly/UntoldOshawa