In 1909, over 300 black families from Oklahoma moved north to Canada to the plains provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In Saskatchewan they founded the all-black towns of Maidstone and Wilkie, and in Manitoba the towns of Junkins (now Wildwood), Keystone (now Breton), Clyde and Amber Valley. By 1912 several thousand blacks had migrated north to these provinces.

To commemorate Alberta's Centennial, the Alberta Genealogical Society, acting in concert with the Provincial Archives of Alberta (PAA), has created an all-name index of the 685 microfilm reels of homestead files in the PAA's possession. This searchable database is online and free to everyone. The records can only be viewed at that PAA, or you can order a copy of the record/s from the Alberta Genealogical Society.

To search the database and for additional information about this important information, see the link below.

Good luck in your search.

- Lisa B. Lee, PLCGS
Oakland, CA