Accession number: A88-97
Frank Bernard Jamerson was born in the Athabasca area on April 13th, 1922 to parents Ethel Jamerson and Robert Jamerson. Jamerson’s grandparents were some of the first Black immigrants to arrive in Canada. In 1910, they arrived from Alabama and Texas and settled the Athabasca area which included Poplar Ridge, Rene Creek, and Amber Valley.
In 1943, Jamerson was conscripted into military service under the National Resources Mobilization Act and served in Canada until 1946. After he was discharged, Jamerson joined the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as a Sleeping Car porter where he worked from 1948 until 1962. While working as a porter, Jamerson became the Secretary-Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
In 1978, he was transferred to Via Rail until the time of his donation in 1988. In addition to his time working as a porter, Jamerson also owned a series of women’s dress shops in Vancouver, B.C. under the name ‘Jamerson’s Fashion.’
Frank Bernard Jamerson passed away on December 8th, 1995 and is interred in Surrey, B.C.
Published
Final
City of Edmonton Archives
Title based on name of creator.
The fonds consists of a historical and biographical narrative handwritten by Frank Bernard Jamerson regarding Black immigration into western Canada as well as the Black experience in the prairies, specifically northern Alberta Black communities. The first file in the fonds consists of this narrative while the second file consists of newspaper clippings, family photographs, an anniversary booklet of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and correspondence used by Jamerson in the creation of his narrative.
* The material was arranged according to the filing system of the creator.
* The photographs were assigned item numbers with the prefix EA-223.
The fonds was donated to the City of Edmonton Archives by Mr. Frank Bernard Jamerson in 1988.
No further accruals are expected.
There are no restrictions on access.
Copyright may apply.
* Access
* Photographs have been described at the item level and are available in the Reference Room and online.