Sharing Histories of Immigration

Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area have become the home for many different immigrant communities, and the Mennonite Archives of Ontario stands out amongst the many museums and cultural centers catering to these communities. Their most recent exhibit, What They Carried: The Archives of Russlaender Mennonite Immigrants, demonstrates the potential of the Mennonite Archives’ collection for creating and sharing narratives of the Mennonite community in Canada. By researching the history of Mennonite migration, the Archives’ development and actions, and analyzing What They Carried, we have found that the stories and experiences shared by the Mennonite Archives of Ontario transcends typical collection and preservation practices to become a space that actively engages with the Mennonite community in Ontario.