New Book Uncovers Hockey League Comprised of Children of Runaway Slaves

This is fascinating. George and Darril Fosty's new book Black Ice chronicles the Colored Hockey League, which was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1895 and lasted until 1925. (I wish I would have known about the CHL when I was in Halifax a few years ago.) Nova Scotia was the final destination of many persons who had escaped from slavery in the American south through the Underground Railroad. Many of the players in the CHL were descendents of these runaway slaves. The league was confined to Canada's maritime provices—Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island—but, according to the book's authors, can be credited for the invention of the slap shot and turning hockey into a gritty, fast-paced sport. Much of the league's historical records were lost when the Canadian government dissolved Africville, a predominantly black community in Halifax, in the 1960s. You can order the book here. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait for the paperback.