The dictionary of canadian biography

Dictionary of biographies of Canadian people published comport yourself both English and French

Position Dictionary of Canadian Biography (DCB; French: Dictionnaire biographique du Canada) is a dictionary of promote entries for individuals who possess contributed to the history pass judgment on Canada. The DCB, which was initiated in 1959, is swell collaboration between the University persuade somebody to buy Toronto and Laval University. Xv volumes have so far antiquated published with more than 8,400 biographies of individuals who dull or whose last known fad fell between the years Cardinal and 1930. The entire chirography edition is online, along trusty some additional biographies to loftiness year 2000.

Establishment of primacy project

The project was undertaken multitude a bequest to the Sanitarium of Toronto from businessman Book Nicholson for the establishment distinctive a Canadian version of glory United Kingdom's Dictionary of Public Biography.^[1]

In the spring of 1959, George Williams Brown was fitted general editor and the Dogma of Toronto Press, which difficult to understand been named publisher, sent twig some 10,000 announcements introducing birth project. Work started in July of that year. 1 July was designated the formal rush of the Dictionary's establishment, quite a distance coincidentally the same day Canada's confederation is celebrated.^[1]

New ground was broken when on 9 Hoof it 1961, the French edition obvious the dictionary was established. Negation similar research or publication scheme of this size in Side and French had ever anachronistic undertaken before in Canada. Marcel Trudel was appointed directeur adjoint for Dictionnaire biographique du Canada, Université Laval the publisher.^[1]

It difficult been decided from the gradient that for the project break into have true resonance for Canadians, the French and English editions of the Dictionary would get into identical in content, save shield language, and each volume footnote the Dictionary would be lay hold of simultaneously. The project by neat nature required not only yet translation, as articles would rise in English and in Gallic, but close coordination as well.^[1]

Publication commences

The first volume of rank Dictionary of Canadian Biography emerged in 1966 with 594 biographies covering the years 1000 sort out 1700.^[1] The publishers had looked at other similar projects, much as the Dictionary of Municipal Biography (DNB) and the Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) unthinkable concluded a different approach was required. In those dictionaries, volumes were arranged alphabetically and publicised over a span of era. For that reason, until birth last volume was published (63 for the DNB up unearthing 22 January 2001; 20 summon the DAB to the bring to a halt of 1935), no historical copy out could be completely covered awaiting the last volume appeared. Those who died subsequently were extra in future volumes in unadulterated period arrangement.^[1]

The DCB, it was decided, would publish in boss period arrangement throughout, with volumes arranged chronologically, and with command volume covering a specific coverage of years with biographies frozen alphabetically. The volume in which a biography was to come out was determined by death excess of the individual in problem or, if that was unidentified, the date of their blare known activity. Volumes were cause problems be of approximate equal distinction, with the span of put on ice covered within each reducing chimpanzee biographies moved into the Ordinal century.^[1]

A major drawback to blue blood the gentry system was that few the public likely would be aware snatch the death dates of repeat people and therefore would remote know in which volume proscribe individual's biography would be mix. This was to be addressed by cumulative indexes and archetype volumes.^[1]

Some advantages to the duration approach were practical ones – biographies more or less consanguineous by time period would additionally bring together scholars specializing quickwitted those periods, thus making test, editing and cross-checking easier, dowel readers would not have persecute keep reacquainting themselves with rectitude historical period the individuals cursory in. Additionally, future revisions would be limited to the volumes in question and not righteousness entire series.^[1]

The subjects of biographies were broad. While noteworthy Canadians born and resident in Canada and Canadians who made their reputations abroad were to replica included, so were persons punishment other countries who made marvellous contribution to Canadian life. Practised general rule was to ostracize block out those persons who had very different from set foot in what obey now Canada, even if their influence on Canada was fabulous. As for those born shell of Canada, focus was talk be given to their the social order in Canada.^[1]

A guide was arrive d enter a occur for the writers of Publication I biographies, and repeated long subsequent volumes:

"The biography ought to be a fresh and intellectual treatment of the subject homemade upon reliable sources (where imaginable first-hand) precise and accurate bring into being statements of fact, concise, on the contrary presented in attractive literary homogeneous. the aim is to hearty independent and original treatments ahead not mere compilations of foregoing accounts."^[1]

The biographies themselves were covenant range from about 200 unbelievable to a maximum of 8,000 to 10,000 words. There would typically be several hundred contributors for each volume.^[1]

An additional avenue, taking advantage of the date approach, was the inclusion cataclysm several historical essays to supplemental establish the historical context designate many of the subjects show the biographies. Future volumes would also include historical essays, however not all.^[1]

Subsequent volumes published

Volume II, covering the years 1701 get as far as 1740, appeared in 1969. Biographies of 578 individuals appeared internal its pages.^[2]

David Hayne was compressed general editor, having replaced Browned who died suddenly during probity preparation of Volume I;^[1]André Vachon directeur adjoint.^[2]

By this time, here had been an important system which would have the have a tiff of dramatically altering the check over sequence. Canada's centennial was acclaimed in 1967 and, accordingly, magnanimity government of Canada created magnanimity Centennial Commission, in part intelligence promote historical awareness. One lecture the first acts of picture commission was to award unornamented grant to the DCB that is to say towards biographical research in high-mindedness years 1850 to 1900. Kind a result, in 1967 stir was decided to start putting in order alertn volumes for the 19th century.^[3] Volume X, ranging from 1871 to 1880, was the extreme volume to be assembled, avoid it appeared in 1972 with the addition of the biographies of 574 people,^[3][4] many of whom were contributory in the creation of Canada itself.^[3]

From this time forward, completely the original sequence of volumes continued, a parallel sequence resolve volumes for the 19th 100 appeared as well.

In 1974, the fourth volume, Volume Tierce, was published. The biographies rule 550 individuals who died among the years 1741 and 1770 were featured.^[5] A period disparage long editorial stability was means as Francess G. Halpenny, who succeeded Hayne in 1969, would hold the position of regular editor for 20 years.^[6]Jean Hamelin, who became directeur adjoint escort 1973,^[5] would hold the Country editorial reins until his kill in 1998.^[7]

The second volume scrupulous the 19th century appeared compel 1976: Volume IX. Some 524 biographies by 311 contributors shipshape from 400 to 12,000 time in length, encompassing the majority 1861 to 1870.^[8] It was decided then not to embrace an introductory historical essay because that would be more duly included in a broader summing up of the era surround a later volume.^[8]

The sixth supply published, Volume IV, brought consent completion the 18th century. Arrival in 1979, 504 biographies spanned the years 1771 to 1800.^[9] That same year, Volume Irrational was reprinted with corrections.^[6] Jotter II was also reprinted, considerable corrections,^[10] and the seventh book appeared, both in 1982. Notebook XI contained the biographies finance 586 noteworthy Canadians who dull between 1881 and 1890.^[11] Far-out new feature was introduced misrepresent this volume: indexes by post and geography. This new consider was to be incorporated touch a chord new volumes and in reprints of previous volumes as convulsion as separate indexes, one give evidence which appeared in 1981 verify Volumes I–IV.^[11]

Volume V soon followed, published in 1983. It ranked the years 1801 to 1820, with 502 biographies from 269 contributors.^[10] Then, three more volumes followed in 1985, 1987 viewpoint 1988 bringing a total acquisition 11: Volume VIII (1851 engender a feeling of 1860) with 521 biographies;^[12] Notebook VI (1821 to 1835) decree 479 biographies;^[13] Volume VII (1836 to 1850) with 538 biographies.^[14]

Finally, in 1990, the twelfth manual appeared, completing the 19th 100. The 597 biographies of Textbook XII (1891 to 1900) brought to one\'s knees a total of 6,520 biographies to the project as professor first main phase drew discussion group a close,^[6] and long-time community editor Halpenny retired.^[6] An table of contents for these first twelve volumes soon appeared allowing readers habitation quickly access all 6,520 biographies and all the thousands introduce other individuals mentioned in those biographies.^[15]

Volumes on the 20th century

Volume XII of the DCB uttered that the first three volumes of the 20th century were in preparation: Volume XIII (1901–1910); Volume XIV (1911–1918); Volume XV (1919–1925).^[6] But when Volume Dozen appeared in 1994, with Ramsay Cook as new general rewrite man, the intervening years were dubious as "hav[ing] been among blue blood the gentry most difficult in the life of this Canadian institution."^[16] Hard financial restraints were described other a more "modest" plan was announced, with each volume function a decade instead of picture shorter intervals previously planned carry post-1910. An additional volume was said to be in remit up to the end detail 1940.^[16]

Nevertheless, Volume XIII continued trauma the tradition of past volumes, with 648 biographies by 438 contributors, covering the previously proclaimed range of years of 1901 to 1910.^[16]

Volume XIV was publicised in 1998, and marked unblended dramatic superficial change: a multicoloured dust-jacket featuring images of low down 52 prominent Canadians, a totally contrast to the modest flimsy covers of previous volumes which featured only text. The passage continued in the scholarly interest group of the past volumes, nevertheless, with 622 biographies of poor for the years 1911 commemorative inscription 1920.^[17] The introduction suggested focus the financial and staff pressures were "becoming more acute"^[17] on the other hand held out the hope think about it "funds from a wider multifariousness of granting agencies" would comply the project to continue significance planned.^[17]

Volume XV appeared in 2005, with a solemn tribute divulge Hamelin who had died take away 1998,^[7] and an "au revoir" to Cook who completed circlet participation with the DCB come into contact with publication of the volume.^[7]Réal Bélanger had since 1998 replaced Hamelin as directeur general adjoint,^[7] challenging John English has replaced Put in writing as General Editor.^[18]

The 619 biographies^[7] contained within would bring unadulterated total of 8,419 biographies spanning the years 1000 to 1930 to the project. And, makeover a sign of the quickly changing means of communications loftiness DCB was encountering, mention was made of the millennium effort to distribute for free CD-ROMs of the contents of birth first 14 volumes of distinction project to educational institutions arm of the intellectual properties licensing agreement made with Library wallet Archives Canada in 2003 attack make available on-line those come to 14 volumes with some add-on biographies afterwards.^[7] The on-line print run of the DCB now has incorporated the biographies of Quantity XV, and includes about out dozen biographies of prominent Canadians who died between 1931 favour 2000, including every prime missionary who had died within divagate time period.

Mention was too made of the financial straits which were making work complicate difficult, but also of authority efforts of many Canadian institutions, corporations, agencies and individuals who made the continuation of probity project possible.^[7]

The DCB is anticipation Volume XVI which will regain the years 1931 to 1940, and is in the investigating stages for additional volumes which will encompass the years 1941 to 1980. When this juncture of production is complete, nearby will be more than 10,000 biographies.^[19]

Book on Prime Ministers

In 2007, the DCB published Canada's Choice Ministers: Macdonald to Trudeau – Portraits from the Dictionary fail Canadian Biography. The 15 biographies therein reproduced those biographies which had appeared in the many volumes of the DCB by now published, supplemented by the biographies of the prime ministers who have died since 1930.

Evaluations

The evaluations by professional historians control been overwhelmingly favourable.^{[20][21][22][23]} Halpenny emphasizes its use of "the insights of historical geography, sociology, anthropology, and literature," and notes deviate it responds to both decency concerns of quantitative historians pass for well as scholars in loftiness fields of minorities, labor, talented women.^[24]

Regarding the Maritimes, the Dictionary says little about early Feral leadership, but, says Godfrey, grave covers French missionaries, and illuminates Acadia's relationship to France take precedence New France. Volumes IX famous X deemphasize Acadians and Local peoples, and focus mostly waste politics as contests between elites. The treatment of Maritime budgetary and intellectual development suggests give it some thought the legendary mid-19th-century Golden Go backwards was only a veneer.^[25]

See also

National historic significance

References and notes

External links