AFROMUSÉE: Live Painting Inspired by the Colored Women’s Club of Montreal

Within the vibrant walls of the Afro Musée, a singular tribute was paid to the Colored Women’s Club, an organization founded in 1902 to defend the rights of the wives of railway workers. The event, marked by art and memory, brought together several artists who, each in their own way, revisited this legacy and offered a contemporary reflection on the strength, resilience, and unity of Black women.

Among the standout voices, Malvina and Jean chose to transpose the club into a modern interpretation. Their work depicts women holding hands, smiling and united, in a suspended, almost timeless atmosphere. “Being a Black woman means fighting every day. But fighting also means taking care of ourselves, creating moments of communion,” explained the artist. References to the original Colored Women’s Club, visible through symbols and historical motifs, remind us that the struggles of the past continue to resonate today.

Artist Alia presented Moissy, which means “woman” in Lingala. Her canvas places the Black woman at the center of life, motherhood, and education. “The woman is the one who gives life and who transmits knowledge,” she affirmed, paying tribute to the fundamental role of the feminine figure in the continuity of generations.

Nora, inspired by her Amazigh heritage, offered a work that connects the struggles of marginalized women from the past to the present. Her creations integrate Amazigh motifs and Victorian influences, enriched with gold and silver—symbols of the golden age. “It’s a way of uniting two histories and showing that the struggles of women are part of a universal continuity,” she confided.

Cindy Lou Emmanuel’s approach focused on emotion and courage. Her painting illustrates seven women bearing histories of strength and resistance in the face of systemic barriers. The instinctively chosen colors reveal varied personalities and highlight the central figure of Mrs. Greenup, the first woman to have founded the Colored Women’s Club.

For Huda, based in Montreal, art becomes a vehicle of healing and intergenerational transmission. Her piece depicts a woman balanced on a dragon, a symbol of struggle and change. The colors express a spiritual journey: pale yellow evokes the past, red embodies the courage needed for upheaval, and blue-green opens onto peace and wisdom after the struggle. “Every family has someone who pushes the boat towards the waves of change,” she explained, recalling the driving role of women in social and family dynamics.

The evening concluded with remarks from Christian Basson, Regional Director of Business Development for Black Communities in Quebec and Atlantic Canada at TD Bank. Praising the work of the artists and the commitment of the Afro Musée, he reaffirmed the importance of Black History Month: “TD stands alongside Black communities to build an inclusive, diverse world where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”

Between collective memory and creativity, the exhibition demonstrated that the Colored Women’s Club does not belong only to the past. It lives on today through works that connect heritage and the present, reminding us that the fight for dignity, equality, and the celebration of Black women remains as relevant as ever.