Item is a scrapbook kept by Frances Dodd during her time serving as a nurse in England during World War I (WWI). The scrapbook includes photographs with handwritten descriptions, drawings, poems and recipes.
Item is a typewritten, three-page draft essay with handwritten notes by Wanda Robson about how she became a student at Cape Breton University (CBU), her activism and the work she did to promote the legacy of her sister, Viola Desmond. The essay was printed on the back of information sheets about Crime Stoppers Bingo.
Item is a typewritten letter from Betty Ann Pothier, Johnstone Scholarship Administrator at the Nova Scotia Department of Education, to Wanda Robson regarding the Dr. P. Anthony Johnstone Scholarship and Robson's role on its Scholarship Committee. Attached to the email is a poster for the scholarship and a copy of the application.
Item is a digitized copy of a 1962 re-issued of John Alexander Basker’s birth and baptism certificate issued by Father K.J. MacDonald on behalf of the Catholic Church in Mull River, Nova Scotia. John Alexander Basker was born on March 8, 1890 and his baptism certificate was originally issued on May 3, 1890.
Item is the Cape Breton Highlanders War Diary Volume 1.
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 1.
Item is a typewritten history of the 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders (i.e. Cape Breton Highlanders), including a note on their original organization, short histories of the Battalion during the First World War and Second World War, a brief timeline, and a description of the crest.
Item is a typewritten program for the 1990 recruit swearing-in ceremony at Victoria Park in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Item includes a handwritten and typewritten copy of “Third Centenary of the First Baptisms among the Micmac Indians which took place at Port Royal, now Annapolis, N.S., June 24, 1610 – Celebration held at St. Anne de Restigouche” written by Rev. Donald MacPherson.
Item is a handwritten genealogy of the Benjamin Newton Davis family.
Item is a letter from Colleen Gillis to Hon. Percy Paris, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, asking him to support the creation of Viola Desmond Day.
Item is a typewritten genealogy of the Basker family from 1792 to 2012 compiled by Peter MacDonald.
Item is a typewritten list of service men, including their first initials, last names and regimental numbers, who served in “D” Company of the 185th Battalion who were transferring to the 25th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles), CEF.
Item is one typewritten letter from Lieutenant Colonel T.M. Mosley, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, The Nova Scotia Highlanders, to Ralph Davies to inform him that he had been chosen as a delegate for the 30th Anniversary: The Canadians in Italy commemorative trip to Italy in April and May 1975. Attached is a copy of a letter from the Minister of Veterans Affairs to Mosley asking for his nominations for the delegation.
Item is a promotional poster for Tarbot: Cape Breton’s Music Festival, which took place on August 28, 1977 at Malcolm Dean’s farm in Tarbot, Cape Breton as presented by School on the Hill. The poster lists festival ticket prices and where to buy advance tickets, along with that year’s performers.
Item is three photocopies of the December 31, 1946 edition of The Clarion newspaper published in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia featuring articles about Viola Desmond's 1946 arrest at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow and her court appeals.
Item is a program for the play "Other People's Heaven," about Viola Desmond's 1946 arrest, which was staged at the Firebrand Theatre in Toronto, Ontario.
Item is a typewritten letter from Cal Best (aka J.C. Best or Calbert Best), son of Carrie Best, to Wanda Robson in response to a letter previously sent by Robson. Wanda was looking for a copy of Carrie Best's book, That Lonesome Road, which had gone out of print.
Item is a handwritten goodbye letter addressed to E.G. McKay by M. Dwyer on behalf of the staff at the Sydney Mines Colliery in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. Mr. McKay was leaving the Sydney Mines for a steel company in the United States.
Item is a draft of "My Early Memories of Race, My Sister Viola, and the Incident at the Roseland Theatre" by Wanda Robson, which appeared as a chapter in Viola Desmond's Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land by Dr. Graham Reynolds. Corrections and annotations in red pen have been made throughout the essay.
Item includes a photocopy of Viola Desmond's 1940 diploma from The Apex College of Beauty Culture and Hairdressing and a photocopy of Helen Flint's (née Helen Davis) 1947 diploma from the Desmond Beauty Studio.
Item is a program for "A Special Tribute in Honor of Viola Desmond," which included the dedication of a commemorative bench at the Africentric Heritage Park in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, the unveiling of a heritage interpretive panel about Viola Desmond at Laurie Park in New Glasgow, and the unveiling of a portrait of Desmond in Council Chambers at the New Glasgow Town Hall.
Item consists of digitized securities and stock certificates between Columbus Kirkland Gold Mining Company and F.W. Beer, Homer L. Gibson, and F.S. Leslie; Canadian International Corporation Limited and Levia McMillan; Straw Lake Beach Gold Mines Limited and Cameron, Pointon & Merritt; West-Side Long Lac Mines Limited and Noel H. Knowles; Macfarlane Long Lac Gold Mines Limited and Ronald Basker; and, Vanguard Explorations Limited and Kaye Figurski (Kaye Basker).
Item is a digitized copy of a resolution given by the Warden and Councillors of the Municipality of the County of Inverness and sent to the Basker family upon the death of Ranald Basker, who served as a councillor for the municipality from 1934 to his death in 1950. It was signed by James MacDonnell, municipal clerk.
Item is a typewritten letter from the Assistant Deputy Assistant & Quartermaster General to the Nova Scotia Highland Brigade’s Officer Commanding regarding declaration and attestation papers for the 185th Overseas Battalion, C.E.F. Included are two lists, one listing all the declaration and attestation papers that were handed in to Camp Headquarters at Aldershot, Nova Scotia and the other listing the declaration and attestation papers that had not yet been received at Camp Aldershot.
Item is three copies of an official history published by the Government of Canada about the Canadian Military and its role in the Italian Campaign during World War 2 (WW2).
Item is one clipping from an unidentified newspaper titled, ‘“Thomas J. Brown’s ‘Place Names of Nova Scotia’ Should be Writer’s Handbook,” about the publication of Brown’s book.
Item is a handwritten letter from Simon Basquer to Msgr. MacPherson, with a short note written at the bottom by Mrs. Simon Basquer.
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 10.
Item is the Cape Breton Highlanders War Diary Volume 10.
Item is handwritten notes about the Mi’kmaq language as recorded by Fr. Donald MacPherson when he was learning the language in the early 20th century.
Item is one typewritten letter from J.M. Ruttan, Chief of Information Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs, in response to a letter from Ralph Davies regarding the purchase of, and laying of, wreaths at cemeteries in Italy during the “30th Anniversary: The Canadians in Italy” delegation sent to Italy in April and May 1975.
Item is the Cape Breton Highlanders War Diary Volume 11.
Item is one typewritten and photocopied memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs to delegates attending the "30th Anniversary: The Canadians in Italy" commemorative trip to Italy in April and May 1975.
Item is a copy of an email from Adrian Harewood, a CBC reporter, to Wanda Robson and Joe Robson regarding a meeting he had with Mayor Anne Maclean of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia about the legacy of Viola Desmond in New Glasgow and the upcoming 60th anniversary of Desmond's arrest at the Roseland Theatre.
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 11.
Item is a letter from Ross Landry, Minister of Justice of Nova Scotia, to Wanda Robson thanking her for her work in getting her sister, Viola Desmond, an official apology from the province and a Royal Prerogative of Mercy Free Pardon for her 1946 arrest at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
Item is the Cape Breton Highlanders War Diary Volume 12.
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 12.
Item is an electronic booklet of photos of the Basker Family. Included are:
• Page 1 – Jack Basker (John Joseph Basker)
• Page 2 – Composite Platoon in Fort Lewis, Washington, USA - Jack Basker (John Joseph Basker) was a private during the Korean War.
• Page 3 – Basker family home in Mull River, Nova Scotia
• Page 4 – Kenny Basker (Kenneth Basker)
• Page 5 – two photos of members of the Basker Family (top of the page)
• Page 5 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) (bottom left)
• Page 5 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) with an unidentified man (bottom right)
• Page 6 – Ranald Basker (possibly him front and centre wearing a flat cap) with some of his political friends
• Page 7 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker, Kaye Figurski) and her brother, Danny Basker.
• Page 7 – Danny Basker
Item is an electronic booklet of photos of the Basker Family. Included are:
• Page 1 – Jack Basker (John Joseph Basker) and Ida Basker (née Ida McLaughlin/Ida McIntosh)
• Page 2 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) and an unidentified man (June 1957)
• Page 3 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) and three unidentified people (June 1957)
• Page 4 – unidentified people
• Page 5 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) in her wedding gown
• Page 6 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) and Don Figurski on their wedding day with the wedding party on the steps behind them
• Page 7 – Kaye Basker (Catherine Basker) and Don Figurski’s wedding portrait
• Page 8 - Kaye Figurski (Kaye Basker, Catherine Basker) and Don Figurski in the early 1980s
• Page 9 – from left to right, Roddy Nicholson, Kaye Figurski (Kaye Basker), Mary Nicholson, Theresa Figurski-Chartrand
• Page 10 – Mary Nicholson, Donny Nicholson, [?], Roddy Nicholson, and [?]
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 13.
Item is a copy of Bay News No. 14.
Item is a project proposal for "The Many Faces of Jim Crow: Stories of Racial Discrimination in Twentieth Century Canada," a documentary, to be produced by Dr. Graham Reynolds and Dr. Richard MacKinnon.
Item is a digitized copy of the ‘Births, Marriages, and Deaths’ pages from the Basker Family Bible.
Item is a digitized copy of a 1966 re-issue of Kenneth Basker’s birth and baptism certificate signed by Father J.A. Gillis on behalf of Saint Mary’s Parish in Mabou, Nova Scotia. Kenneth Basker was born on December 31, 1897 and his baptism certificate was originally issued on January 2, 1898.
Item is a typewritten nominal roll of men in the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders), including first initials, last names, and regimental numbers, who were transferred to the 17th Reserve Canadian Battalion, Bramshott, England. There are four copies of the list with various handwritten notes on each copy.
Item is a typewritten letter from R. E. Archibald, Wholesale and Retail Dealer of Soft Coal, Hard Coal and Petroleum Coke, to The Indian Cove Coal Company Ltd. regarding the Camp Hill Hospital coal account. A handwritten note is included on the back of the second page.
Item is a pamphlet authored by Father R.P. Pacifique, O.M.C. of Sainte-Anne de Ristigouche to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the first Mi’kmaq Baptism in 1610.
Item is a typewritten copy of a letter from Viola Desmond to the federal Minister of Justice in Ottawa, Ontario explaining her 1946 arrest at the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and asking them to grant her a pardon, or, in her words, "vindicate [her] in the eyes of Society."
Item is a Day of Issue Stamp for the Viola Desmond stamp distributed by Canada Post. The Viola Desmond stamp is fixed to the top corner of an envelope featuring a picture of the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.