Who's Who in Black Canada 2: Black Success and Black Excellence in Canada: A Contemporary Directory. Dawn P. Williams. Toronto, ON: D.P. Williams and Associates (#1706-3 Massey Sq., M4C 5L5), 2006. 402 pp., cloth, $35.99. ISBN 0-9731384-2-4. Subject Headings: Black Canadians-Biography-Dictionaries. Blacks- Canada-Biography-Dictionaries. Grades 10 and up / Ages 15 and up. Review by Joanne Peters. *** /4

excerpt:

Who's Who in Black Canada has been embraced as a valuable resource now used by students, academics, business professionals and the general public. For professionals, it is a networking tool; for young people it serves as a source of inspiration while providing insight into lesser-known careers; educators have found a place for the book within the curriculum and as a complement to existing Black History Month material; for scholars and professionals in the USA, Who's Who in Black Canada has been added to the growing body of material on Blacks in the Diaspora; and, non-academic readers saw the first edition as a long-overdue compilation of general interest on Black Canadians.

Who's Who in Black Canada 2 is the update of the preceding volume, described above. It has expanded on its predecessor by offering 734 biographical profiles (of which over one-third are new entries) of prominent Black Canadians. Their accomplishments span a wide variety of endeavours: education, business, medicine, the arts, business, sports, law, to name but a few. Many are well-known internationally (notably, Canada's Governor-General, Michaelle Jean, whose profile is presented in both official languages), while others are best-known within their local communities. And, interestingly, there are well-known figures who have, for whatever reason, declined to provide content for publication in this directory. In addition to the new entries, this edition also provides photo portraits, although the portraits are presented in a separate "Photo Gallery," rather than with the text for each entry. As in the previous edition of Who's Who in Black Canada, a list of symbols (indicating the individual's primary area of endeavour and renown) and two indexes are provided; individuals profiled are listed both by the province in which they live, and by their primary activity (i.e. the arts, athletics, etc.). In my review of the previous edition, I noted that "future revisions might incorporate a date list or time line for easy finding of "first" accomplishments," and I still hope that this suggestion might be undertaken in a future revision. While it may seem out of place in a professional directory, many students are interested in this information, and there is no easy way of finding it. Who's Who in Black Canada 2 is a reasonably-priced resource for a directory of its type and its hard-cover format will stand up well in the reference sections of public and school libraries. Who's Who in Black Canada 2 is definitely worth acquiring, especially in communities with large Black populations will find it a helpful resource.

Recommended.

Joanne Peters is a teacher-librarian Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, MB.

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