"An unforgettable Montreal"

During a wave of rising interest in the history of Black communities in Canada, the re-edition of the late Mairuth Sarsfield’s 1993 novel No Crystal Stair is timely and welcome. The book is an homage to Sarsfield’s home neighbourhood of Little Burgundy and is named after a line in the famous Langston Hughes poem, “Mother to Son.” The 2021 edition includes a beautifully written preface by Dorothy W. Williams, author of Blacks in Montreal 1628-1926: An Urban Demography, who, like Sarsfield, grew up in Little Burgundy.

Rich with romantic imagery, No Crystal Stair is set in 1940s Montreal. Sarsfield follows the Willow family, who have just moved onto rue des Seigneurs in Little Burgundy. Marion Willow, a loving and passionate single mother determined to give her daughters what she considers a proper upbringing, is unwavering in her attempts to provide her family with what they deserve. Teaching her daughters to be discerning and righteous, Marion expects them to grow up to break the proverbial glass ceiling. Otis, a family friend’s nephew and an older brother figure to the girls, joins the Willow family in their new home while working as a porter on board the trains of the transcontinental railway.
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May 2022, Montreal Review of Books

Validating history

No Crystal Stair validated certain histories I already knew about Black Canadians in Montreal and taught me about new histories as well. It's exciting to recognize yourself in a work of literature, especially one that is set in the past. At a micro level, it helps to build a sense of belonging to the communities and cultures in which you exist. But at a macro level, it validates your sense of identity — in this case a Quebecer and a Canadian. When Mairuth came to Montreal on her book tour, I was fortunate enough to get to the Westmount Public Library in time for the reading and she signed my original copy! It's nowhere to be found now, sadly, because I enthusiastically lent it to friends in way of spreading the word, not only about the book, but also to bring others to the story of a great Black Canadian woman in arts and culture.