Praise for Running Uphill
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Praise for Running Uphill “Harry Jerome is Canada’s Jessie Owens. He faced the same battles in his time as Jessie did. Frankly, Harry Jerome’s face should be on a dollar bill. He should be a national hero for what he went through.” –Donovan Bailey, five-time world and Olympic champion “Having known Fil Fraser from the earliest days of my career, I have always been struck by his humanity, which knew no differences based on race, colour, creed or any other differentiating factor. Hav- ing said that, he knows only too well the struggles of many ethnic groups—including his and my own— to find an equal place in the Canadian firmament. Harry Jerome, who was approximately my contem- porary, was one of those who got out ahead of the pack and paid a price. What a fitting biographer Fil Fraser is. I applaud his compassion and his art.” –Michael A. Levine, entertainment lawyer, Goodmans LLP “Harry Jerome was, of course, a great athlete. When I watched Harry run, it seemed as if he was floating. I am extremely happy to see this book published in honour of the fastest man in the world. It was about time.” –John Braithwaite, former city councillor, City of North Vancouver “Fil Fraser has provided us with a rich account “My congratulations to Fil Fraser; a book on of the too-brief life of Harry Jerome. Every Black per- Harry Jerome is long overdue. Fil Fraser grippingly son living in Canada owes a debt of gratitude to Fil captures the essence of Harry’s character and how Fraser for introducing us to Harry Jerome—some- his life’s experiences factor into the development one who was not only a great athlete and an unblem- of his indomitable spirit, athletic achievement and ished hero, but also a positive role model for many desire to assist Canadian sports and society to be of us who lament the dearth of Black role models in better. An inspiring recounting of a great Canadian’s this country. Every young person, regardless of race, achievements.” should read this book. It will certainly be a real –Milton K. Wong, Chair, HSBC Asset source of inspiration for decades to come.” Management Canada –Dr. W. Andy Knight, professor, University of Alberta “All of us need to know the stories of our Black ancestors to breathe us across those extremely tough “Running Uphill showcases Harry Jerome’s race finish lines—or just to help us survive with dignity. upon the treadmill of “race,” where progress against Fil Fraser has generously, with clarity, passion and racism is glacial, even for an Olympic sprinter. Fil intellectual rigour, given us the story of our stellar Fraser explains this pernicious irony, this very and little-known ancestor Harry Jerome. Breathe in Canadian paradox, in masterful, beautiful prose. Jerome’s energy, breathe out defeat.” His humour is a razor; his honesty is a guillotine. –Rita Shelton Deverell, CM, EdD, In Fraser’s bio, heroic Jerome looms larger than CanWest Global Fellow (Winter 2007), life—and too fast for anyone to weight him down University of Western Ontario with labels. –George Elliott Clarke, Laureate, 2005–08, “Too often, we neglect to immortalize our Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellowship Prize eminent heroes. Fil Fraser has done a superb job of capturing the spirit of Harry Jerome, the flavour of the hostile social climate in which he lived and the signifi- cance of his triumphs.” –B. Denham Jolly, president & CEO, Milestone Radio This meticulous study of the brief life and career of Harry Jerome represents an important milestone in Canadian publishing. We are growing up and recognizing that significant numbers of Canadians of non-European descent have been making contri- butions to this country’s greatness for more than a hundred years, and doing so against the odds. Harry Jerome’s life has the earmarks of many powerful stories—he wins our hearts, he breaks our hearts and he dies too soon. If he had lived to com- plete his journey from vulnerability to confidence, from frailty to strength, he would have seen that he is finally being given his due in a country that is famous for its ambivalence toward its own heroes and successes. An influential figure in Canadian broadcasting and policymaking, Fil Fraser has brought the com- plexities of Black Canadian life, and his own life, to the writing of this important book. Without gloss- ing over Jerome’s failings and weaknesses, Fraser has told this story with the honesty and tenderness that Harry Jerome deserves. –Cheryl Foggo, author, filmmaker and historian Fil Fraser © 2006 by Fil Fraser and Dragon Hill Publishing Ltd. First printed in 2006 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Table of Contents Printed in Canada FOREWORD: Paul Winn . 9 All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be repro- duced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical—without FOREWORD: Brian Pound . 12 the prior written permission of the publisher, except for reviewers, who may quote brief passages. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or storage on information retriev- INTRODUCTION . 15 al systems of any part of this work shall be directed in writing to the publisher. CHAPTER ONE: Remembering Harry . 30 The Publisher: Dragon Hill Publishing Ltd. CHAPTER TWO: Roots . 40 www.dragonhillpublishing.com CHAPTER THREE: Not wanted in the Neighbourhood . 54 Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication CHAPTER FOUR: How Fast is Fast? . 73 Fraser, Fil, 1932– CHAPTER FIVE: Running uphill : the fast, short life of Canadian champion Harry Jerome / Fil Fraser. A Husband and a Father . 91 CHAPTER SIX: Mixed Media . 109 ISBN 13: 978-1-896124-13-1 ISBN 10: 1-896124-13-5 CHAPTER SEVEN: “I Tried Too Hard” . 129 1. Jerome, Harry, 1940–1982. 2. Runners (Sports)—Canada—Biography. CHAPTER EiGHT: “I’m No Quitter” . 149 3. Black Canadians—Biography. I. Title. CHAPTER NiNE: The Fastest Man in History? . 170 GV1061.15.J47F73 2006 796.42092 C2007-901382-1 CHAPTER TEN: Beyond the Track . 185 Project Director: Gary Whyte CHAPTER ELEVEN: Sudden Death, No Overtime . 197 Cover photo: Bill Cunningham, Vancouver Province Chapter quotations: from Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama. New York: Three EPILOGUE . 212 Rivers Press, 1995, 2004. Used with permission. AfTERWORD: Dr. Brian Maraj . 218 Photography credits: Every effort has been made to determine the holder of copyright for the photographs in this book. Please inform the publisher of any errors or omissions so APPENDICES that changes can be made in future editions. Photos courtesy of AP Wirephoto (p. 133, df60950 Aus); Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto (p. 210); Bill Cunningham, Vancouver Prov- I: Chart of Factors Used by Dr. Maraj to Create a (Virtual) ince (pp. 59, 77, 83, 96, 173); The Chancellery, Government of Canada (p. 189); Gordon Level Playing Field . 222 Sedawie, Vancouver Province (p. 190); McDonald/CP Wirephoto (p. 84); Metropolitan Photos (p. 69, FM-3-7941); Mike Turk (p. 176, LE3-3107); National Health and Welfare II: The Harry Jerome Awards . 224 Information Services Canada (p. 109, 70-00106; p. 168, 70-00142; p. 187, 70-00143; p. 193, 70-00138); Ottawa Citizen (p. 158); Paul Winn (p. 113); Susan Philips (p. 40, 116); III: The Records . 227 Wendy Jerome (pp. 15, 30, 32, 35, 42, 47, 51, 54, 56, 63, 66, 71, 73, 80, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 100, 103, 107, 119, 129, 146, 149, 155, 163, 170, 181, 185, 187, 197, 205, 209, 212, 221). IV: Curriculum Vitae of Harry Jerome . 230 V: Memorial Service Program . 231 The author acknowledges the financial support of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. VI: Naming a Street for Harry Jerome . 232 PC: P5 ENDNOTES . 234 Foreword Dedication Foreword by Paul Winn1 This book is dedicated to the memory of my brother, Francis unning Uphill is the story of the life of my friend Harry Winston (Frank) Malcolm Blache Fraser (1935–2004), who played professional Jerome and is long overdue. As I read through it, I couldn’t football in the CFL and who, like Harry Jerome, ran uphill—and help but think that had he been white, the book would have succeeded. R been written sooner. Many memories of my friendship with Harry came rushing back, reminding me of the kind of world we lived in as teenagers. The late Acknowledgements 1950s was a strange and turbulent time for our Black cousins to the south. The civil rights movement was in full swing, and while we Writers write alone, but no writer is alone. We are bolstered by the Canadians were appalled at the treatment of American Blacks, there stuff of our lives; the memories from which we mine information and were many among us here at home who held the same negative feel- anecdotes, inspiration and insight, and by our real life environments: ings towards those of us who were Black living in Canada. That’s not family, mentors, supporters, editors, publishers and patrons, those to say that we didn’t have many friends who were not Black, and I individuals and agencies who support the arts. mean true friends that stood with you against adversity and spoke up I want to express my deep thanks to Denham Jolly, who encour- when they felt we as Blacks were being treated unfairly. Those friends aged me to write this book and provided early material support. Paul helped to make some of the happiest memories of our teenage years. Winn and Wendy Jerome were my most helpful and cooperative In some ways, Harry and I felt it was strange being seen as differ- sources of information.