New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Anna Brownell Jameson

My new article in the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia is about Anna Brownell Jameson, an nineteenth century artist, art historian, traveler, feminist and author of numerous books including Winter Studies and Summer Rambles in Canada (1838).

Click here to read my article about Anna Brownell Jameson in the Canadian Encyclopedia

Links to all 90 of my articles in the Canadian Encyclopedia are available here.

Friday October 13 Toronto Public Library Lecture: A History of Royal Weddings from Victoria and Albert to Harry and Meghan

I will be delivering an evening lecture (7pm) at North York Central Library in Toronto on Friday October 13 about the history of royal weddings from Victoria and Albert to Harry and Meghan! All are welcome.

Click here for more information!

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Isabel Mackenzie King

My new article in the Canadian Encyclopedia is about Isabel Mackenzie King, the daughter of 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion leader William Lyon Mackenzie and mother of Canada’s longest serving Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King.

Click here to read my article in the Canadian Encyclopedia about Isabel Mackenzie King

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Frances Anne Hopkins

My new article in the Canadian Encyclopedia is about Frances Anne Hopkins, an artist who sketched and painted Canadian landscapes. Her most famous paintings, including Shooting the Rapids and Canoes in a Fog, Lake Superior, depict long-distance canoe voyages undertaken by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the 1860s.

Click here to read my article about Frances Anne Hopkins in the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia.

Fall 2023 University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Course: Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria to Charles III

I will be teaching an eight week course on Tuesday afternoons in October-November 2023 at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies – Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria to Charles III. Click here for more information and to register.

ABOUT THIS COURSE

The personal lives of royalty are a popular subject for fiction in novels, films and TV series but the real history is more interesting. Each generation of royalty must respond to the challenges of their times to keep the monarchy relevant and engaged with public opinion. Join Carolyn Harris, historian, commentator and author of Raising Royalty: 1000 Years of Royal Parenting for a lively discussion of the history, politics and cultural significance of the monarchy in the UK and Canada.  

Click here for more information and to register for “Behind the Crown: The Monarchy from Victoria at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Charlotte Gray

My new article in the Canadian Encyclopedia is about Charlotte Gray, the author of a dozen best-selling Canadian history books and an adjunct research professor in the department of history at Carleton University. She is a recipient of the Pierre Berton Award for distinguished achievement in popularizing Canadian history.

Her recent books include The Promise of Canada: People and Ideas That Have Shaped Our Country (2016), Murdered Midas: A Millionaire, His Gold Mine and a Strange Death on an Island Paradise (2019) and Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons: The Lives of Jennie Jerome Churchill and Sara Delano Roosevelt (2023)

Click here to read my article about Charlotte Gray in the Canadian Encyclopedia

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Princess Margaret

In my latest article for the Canadian Encyclopedia, I discuss the life and legacy of Princess Margaret including her tours of Canada and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto.

Click here to read my article about Princess Margaret in the Canadian Encyclopedia

New Canadian Encyclopedia Article: Princess Anne (HRH The Princess Royal)

My new article in the Historica Canada Canadian Encyclopedia is about Princess Anne (HRH The Princess Royal) with a focus on her Canadian charitable work and patronages, official and working visits to Canada and her participation in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

Click here to read Princess Anne (HRH The Princess Royal) in the Canadian Encyclopedia

Fall 2022 Course at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies: Women in Power

My course about the history of Women in Power from the Classical World to the 21st Century will be offered in class at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies on Tuesday afternoons in Fall 2022 from October 11 to November 29.

Click here for more information and to register

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Powerful women have presented themselves as warrior queens, rulers by divine right, wives and mothers and, most recently, as elected officials. We’ll examine the most significant female political figures in history, including Boadicea, Queen Isabella, Queen Elizabeth I, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton. Through lively lectures and discussions, you’ll learn the story of women in political life. Why are women still underrepresented in political life? Join Carolyn Harris for a fascinating look at the often-neglected place of women in power from Cleopatra to Angela Merkel.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

  • Survey changing attitudes toward women and political power throughout history.
  • Explore how female leaders have presented themselves to the public.
  • Understand how powerful women are portrayed in popular culture and the media.
  • Compare the experiences of female leaders around the world.
  • See how the history of women in power influences female political leadership today.

Click here for more information and to register