Know History

Name: Know History
Address: 384 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON, K2P1Y4, CA
Telephone: +16137008677

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Know History

Know History provides historical services: researching, presenting, and documenting the past.

04/22/2026

Today is Earth Day, a moment to pause and reflect on our planet, our only home.

Over time, the effects of human-driven environmental change have become increasingly visible. Environments that once felt stable are now more unpredictable. And yet, there is still immense beauty here, beauty that is worth protecting.

We can look to the knowledge and practices of Indigenous peoples for guidance on how to care for the land and live in balance with it. These approaches bring together practical land stewardship and long-term ways of thinking. Cultural burning, for example, uses controlled fire to manage landscapes and reduce the risk of large-scale wildfires, while the Haudenosaunee’s Seven Generation Principle calls for considering how decisions made today will affect people seven generations into the future. Together, they reflect a holistic approach to caring for the land over time.

These approaches, grounded in long-standing relationships with the land, offer important lessons. By learning from them, we can better understand what it means to act responsibly and sustainably.

What is one action you would recommend taking this Earth Day?

04/15/2026

On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank on her maiden voyage from England to New York. The story of this “unsinkable” ship has been told many times, but its connections to Canada are often less understood.

Halifax, Nova Scotia played a critical role in the aftermath. As the base of recovery operations, Canadian cable ships were dispatched to the wreck site. They recovered victims and returned with 209 individuals who were later laid to rest in the city.

Today, Halifax remains one of the most significant places of remembrance connected to the tragedy. Each year, people gather at the cemeteries to honour those who lost their lives and to reflect on the human stories behind the event.

What histories stay with you, long after the story is told?

04/14/2026

This week marks Canada Reads, the annual event where five Canadian books go head-to-head to answer one question: which book should all of Canada read?

While this year’s shortlist is full of strong contenders, we wanted to highlight an unofficial pick from our team.

Talk Treaty to Me by Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky offers a clear, thoughtful, and necessary guide to treaties, Indigenous sovereignty, and land in Canada. It breaks down complex histories in a way that is both accessible and grounded in lived realities, helping readers better understand the roles, rights, and responsibilities that shape this country.

Too often, books on this subject can feel dense or overly academic. This one does the opposite. It is engaging, well written, and deeply human in its approach.

If you are looking to deepen your understanding of the histories that continue to shape Canada today, this is a strong place to start!
Learn more: https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443471169/talk-treaty-to-me/

04/09/2026

Before April 1917, Vimy Ridge had resisted every attempt to take it.
French and British forces had tried and failed. The position held.
From April 9 to 12, the Canadian Corps succeeded.

Nearly 11,000 Canadians were killed or wounded in four days. It was the first time all four divisions fought together, advancing in a coordinated assault shaped by careful planning, mapping, and preparation.

The outcome mattered. But so did how it was achieved.
In the months that followed, command passed from Sir Julian Byng to Arthur Currie. By the final stages of the war, the Canadian Corps had become one of the most effective formations on the Western Front.

Vimy is often described as a turning point in Canada’s story.
Not only because of the victory, but because it reflected something taking shape: a capacity for coordination, shared effort, and ex*****on at scale.

Today, Vimy Ridge remains a point of reflection.

On the cost. On the conditions. And on what it means to act together toward a common goal.

We remember and honour those who fought and sacrificed.

04/08/2026

For the past three seasons, Know History has sponsored a volleyball team in Ottawa. Made up of players from across the company’s offices, the team is known not only for its post-game socials and the coveted Golden Duck trophy, but above all for its strong camaraderie and team spirit.

Yesterday, the Blockbusters competed in the league finals, finishing fourth overall. With an impressive 50–50 win-loss record, both in matches and in sets, the team truly exemplifies the KH spirit.

Know History is proud to support this team and the sense of connection it has fostered across the company.

Congratulations to the Blockbusters on a fantastic season!

04/01/2026

We have always stood behind our work.

Starting today, we are taking that one step further.

For April 1 only, Know History is proud to introduce a new standard of commitment:
a complimentary KH tattoo with every project!

Genealogy. Exhibits. Litigation.

All fully backed.

03/27/2026

“The theatre was created to tell people the truth about life and the social situation.” – Stella Adler

History is not meant to sit quietly in archives or live only in academic spaces. It is meant to be experienced, shared, and understood.

On World Theatre Day, we are reflecting on one of the most powerful ways histories comes to life. Theatre transforms stories into lived experience, connecting audiences across communities and perspectives.

It can be deeply moving, sharply political, or unexpectedly memorable, sometimes all at once. Even a single line like “Exit, pursued by a bear” has endured for centuries, reminding us how performance can leave a lasting imprint on how stories are remembered.

Whether on a stage or in a community space, theatre brings history into the present in ways that are immediate, emotional, and human.
What is a play, quote, or theatre moment that has stayed with you?

03/17/2026

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, greeting card publishers began producing cards for nearly every holiday. While Christmas cards dominated most markets, St. Patrick’s Day cards became especially popular in Ireland.

Featuring shamrocks, green motifs, and playful humour, these cards celebrated Irish identity and were widely shared across Ireland and throughout the Irish diaspora. Sometimes the archives remind us that even familiar traditions have long histories.

From all of us at Know History, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Sláinte!

03/08/2026

Canada’s history has been shaped by remarkable women.

Today is International Women’s Day, a time to reflect on and celebrate the many ways women have shaped our communities, our country, and our shared history.

At Know History, we took the opportunity to reflect on some of the women whose contributions have helped define Canada’s past and present. From Agnes Macphail, the first woman elected to Canada’s House of Commons and a dedicated advocate for labour rights and prison reform, to Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Canada’s first female newspaper publisher and an abolitionist who came to Canada through the Underground Railroad.

We also think of women such as Adrienne Clarkson, the first person of Chinese Canadian descent to serve as Governor General, and Catherine O’Hara, whose creativity and talent have brought joy to audiences around the world.

These women, and countless others, have helped shape the stories of our communities and our country. Their work reminds us that history is not only something we study, but something people actively create through courage, leadership, and perseverance.
On International Women’s Day, we honour the lasting impact of women, past and present.

03/04/2026

Crystal Gail Fraser’s celebrated book By Strength We Are Still Here is worthy of every accolade it has received. This seminal work reframes the experiences of students in northern residential schools through Dinjii Zhuh concepts of both individual and collective strength.

By centering the stories of survivors, Fraser empathetically demonstrates how Indigenous communities resisted racist policies in order to protect their children, cultures, and futures. She not only tells a powerful and courageous story, but also advances Indigenous research methodologies by placing survivors and Knowledge Keepers at the heart of her scholarship. In doing so, she reshapes our understanding of twentieth-century history.

The book’s recognition with the Governor General’s History Award for Scholarly Research underscores its impact. This beautifully told history challenges preconceived ideas about residential schools in Canada’s North and offers a more nuanced and community-centered perspective.

To learn more please visit: https://uofmpress.ca/books/by-strength-we-are-still-here

Address

384 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON
K2P1Y4

Telephone

+16137008677

Website

http://www.knowhistory.ca/

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