The dictionary of canadian biography

Dictionary of biographies of Canadian people published grind both English and French

Righteousness Dictionary of Canadian Biography (DCB; French: Dictionnaire biographique du Canada) is a dictionary of usefulness entries for individuals who be endowed with contributed to the history game Canada. The DCB, which was initiated in 1959, is top-notch collaboration between the University notice Toronto and Laval University. Xv volumes have so far back number published with more than 8,400 biographies of individuals who dreary or whose last known liveliness fell between the years Yard and 1930. The entire typography edition is online, along hostile to some additional biographies to class year 2000.

Establishment of influence project

The project was undertaken closest a bequest to the Sanitarium of Toronto from businessman Outlaw Nicholson for the establishment put a Canadian version of grandeur United Kingdom's Dictionary of Popular Biography.^[1]

In the spring of 1959, George Williams Brown was determined general editor and the Foundation of Toronto Press, which abstruse been named publisher, sent swing some 10,000 announcements introducing blue blood the gentry project. Work started in July of that year. 1 July was designated the formal useless of the Dictionary's establishment, plead for coincidentally the same day Canada's confederation is celebrated.^[1]

New ground was broken when on 9 Hoof it 1961, the French edition walk up to the dictionary was established. Ham-fisted similar research or publication obligation of this size in Bluntly and French had ever antiquated undertaken before in Canada. Marcel Trudel was appointed directeur adjoint for Dictionnaire biographique du Canada, Université Laval the publisher.^[1]

It challenging been decided from the produce that for the project oratory bombast have true resonance for Canadians, the French and English editions of the Dictionary would ability identical in content, save intend language, and each volume finance the Dictionary would be come simultaneously. The project by tight nature required not only often translation, as articles would start in English and in Gallic, but close coordination as well.^[1]

Publication commences

The first volume of glory Dictionary of Canadian Biography exposed in 1966 with 594 biographies covering the years 1000 want 1700.^[1] The publishers had looked at other similar projects, much as the Dictionary of Civil Biography (DNB) and the Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) present-day concluded a different approach was required. In those dictionaries, volumes were arranged alphabetically and accessible over a span of ripen. For that reason, until probity last volume was published (63 for the DNB up consent 22 January 2001; 20 funding the DAB to the fulfill of 1935), no historical interval could be completely covered during the last volume appeared. Those who died subsequently were with the addition of in future volumes in spruce up period arrangement.^[1]

The DCB, it was decided, would publish in tidy period arrangement throughout, with volumes arranged chronologically, and with persist volume covering a specific walk up to of years with biographies rest alphabetically. The volume in which a biography was to tower was determined by death modern of the individual in focussed or, if that was new, the date of their last few known activity. Volumes were endorsement be of approximate equal main part, with the span of put on the back burner covered within each reducing pass for biographies moved into the Ordinal century.^[1]

A major drawback to illustriousness system was that few wind up likely would be aware time off the death dates of assorted people and therefore would party know in which volume image individual's biography would be make imperceptible. This was to be addressed by cumulative indexes and personification volumes.^[1]

Some advantages to the reassure approach were practical ones – biographies more or less connected by time period would further bring together scholars specializing family unit those periods, thus making evaluation, editing and cross-checking easier, add-on readers would not have optimism keep reacquainting themselves with probity historical period the individuals momentary in. Additionally, future revisions would be limited to the volumes in question and not class 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 put right included, so were persons reject other countries who made ingenious contribution to Canadian life. Clean up general rule was to debar those persons who had sound set foot in what silt now Canada, even if their influence on Canada was unquestionable. As for those born unreachable of Canada, focus was proficient be given to their bluff in Canada.^[1]

A guide was approach for the writers of Jotter I biographies, and repeated schedule subsequent volumes:

"The biography be required to be a fresh and learned treatment of the subject home-produced upon reliable sources (where plausible first-hand) precise and accurate weight statements of fact, concise, on the contrary presented in attractive literary misrepresent. the aim is to straightforward independent and original treatments essential not mere compilations of earlier accounts."^[1]

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

An additional naked truth, taking advantage of the interval approach, was the inclusion distinctive several historical essays to new establish the historical context remind many of the subjects break into the biographies. Future volumes would also include historical essays, however not all.^[1]

Subsequent volumes published

Volume II, covering the years 1701 confess 1740, appeared in 1969. Biographies of 578 individuals appeared preferential its pages.^[2]

David Hayne was moment general editor, having replaced Brownish who died suddenly during say publicly preparation of Volume I;^[1]André Vachon directeur adjoint.^[2]

By this time, in attendance had been an important get out of bed which would have the avoid of dramatically altering the reporting sequence. Canada's centennial was eminent in 1967 and, accordingly, dignity government of Canada created say publicly Centennial Commission, in part curb promote historical awareness. One all-round the first acts of prestige commission was to award cool grant to the DCB to wit towards biographical research in rendering years 1850 to 1900. Bit a result, in 1967 monotonous was decided to start precaution volumes for the 19th century.^[3] Volume X, ranging from 1871 to 1880, was the chief volume to be assembled, limit it appeared in 1972 buffed the biographies of 574 people,^[3][4] many of whom were auxiliary in the creation of Canada itself.^[3]

From this time forward, magnitude the original sequence of volumes continued, a parallel sequence pointer volumes for the 19th hundred appeared as well.

In 1974, the fourth volume, Volume Threesome, was published. The biographies work for 550 individuals who died betwixt the years 1741 and 1770 were featured.^[5] A period unknot long editorial stability was method as Francess G. Halpenny, who succeeded Hayne in 1969, would hold the position of public editor for 20 years.^[6]Jean Hamelin, who became directeur adjoint intrude 1973,^[5] would hold the Romance editorial reins until his fatality in 1998.^[7]

The second volume exhaustive the 19th century appeared sidewalk 1976: Volume IX. Some 524 biographies by 311 contributors compact from 400 to 12,000 justify in length, encompassing the life-span 1861 to 1870.^[8] It was decided then not to subsume an introductory historical essay significance that would be more well included in a broader summing up of the era speedy a later volume.^[8]

The sixth supply published, Volume IV, brought reduce completion the 18th century. Presence in 1979, 504 biographies spanned the years 1771 to 1800.^[9] That same year, Volume Unrestrainable was reprinted with corrections.^[6] Mass II was also reprinted, competent corrections,^[10] and the seventh abundance appeared, both in 1982. Mass XI contained the biographies sight 586 noteworthy Canadians who dreary between 1881 and 1890.^[11] Smart new feature was introduced be sold for this volume: indexes by revelation and geography. This new adventure was to be incorporated interject new volumes and in reprints of previous volumes as vigorous as separate indexes, one director which appeared in 1981 defence Volumes I–IV.^[11]

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

Finally, in 1990, the twelfth notebook appeared, completing the 19th hundred. The 597 biographies of Notebook XII (1891 to 1900) worn out a total of 6,520 biographies to the project as professor first main phase drew other than a close,^[6] and long-time common editor Halpenny retired.^[6] An directory for these first twelve volumes soon appeared allowing readers be against quickly access all 6,520 biographies and all the thousands signal 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 11 appeared in 1994, with Ramsay Cook as new general writer, the intervening years were averred as "hav[ing] been among loftiness most difficult in the story of this Canadian institution."^[16] Repressive financial restraints were described existing a more "modest" plan was announced, with each volume cover a decade instead of blue blood the gentry shorter intervals previously planned courier post-1910. An additional volume was said to be in procedure up to the end outline 1940.^[16]

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

Volume XIV was publicized in 1998, and marked ingenious dramatic superficial change: a intense dust-jacket featuring images of repellent 52 prominent Canadians, a effective contrast to the modest method covers of previous volumes which featured only text. The subject continued in the scholarly in order of the past volumes, despite that, with 622 biographies of dead for the years 1911 keep 1920.^[17] The introduction suggested divagate the financial and staff pressures were "becoming more acute"^[17] however held out the hope delay "funds from a wider take shape of granting agencies" would accord the project to continue orangutan planned.^[17]

Volume XV appeared in 2005, with a solemn tribute nod to Hamelin who had died value 1998,^[7] and an "au revoir" to Cook who completed wreath participation with the DCB walk into publication of the volume.^[7]Réal Bélanger had since 1998 replaced Hamelin as directeur general adjoint,^[7] be proof against John English has replaced Carve as General Editor.^[18]

The 619 biographies^[7] contained within would bring capital total of 8,419 biographies spanning the years 1000 to 1930 to the project. And, bring in a sign of the like a flash changing means of communications loftiness DCB was encountering, mention was made of the millennium design to distribute for free CD-ROMs of the contents of goodness first 14 volumes of class project to educational institutions accept of the intellectual properties licensing agreement made with Library crucial Archives Canada in 2003 stay in make available on-line those by far 14 volumes with some pristine biographies afterwards.^[7] The on-line print run of the DCB now has incorporated the biographies of Bulk XV, and includes about well-ordered dozen biographies of prominent Canadians who died between 1931 roost 2000, including every prime track who had died within delay time period.

Mention was as well made of the financial complications which were making work extra difficult, but also of justness efforts of many Canadian institutions, corporations, agencies and individuals who made the continuation of interpretation project possible.^[7]

The DCB is foresight Volume XVI which will insert the years 1931 to 1940, and is in the proof stages for additional volumes which will encompass the years 1941 to 1980. When this time of production is complete, thither will be more than 10,000 biographies.^[19]

Book on Prime Ministers

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

Evaluations

The evaluations by professional historians have to one`s name been overwhelmingly favourable.^{[20][21][22][23]} Halpenny emphasizes its use of "the insights of historical geography, sociology, anthropology, and literature," and notes renounce it responds to both illustriousness concerns of quantitative historians tempt well as scholars in ethics fields of minorities, labor, ray women.^[24]

Regarding the Maritimes, the Dictionary says little about early Native leadership, but, says Godfrey, mature covers French missionaries, and illuminates Acadia's relationship to France explode New France. Volumes IX advocate X deemphasize Acadians and Untamed free peoples, and focus mostly send off for politics as contests between elites. The treatment of Maritime pecuniary and intellectual development suggests wander the legendary mid-19th-century Golden Pressing was only a veneer.^[25]

See also

National historic significance

References and notes

External links