How the “Here from the Beginning” exhibition led curious community members to Gwen Hooks’ story of faithful service in Keystone, Alberta
We at Living Spirit United Church, located in rural Alberta, are a small community of 14 people passionate about justice, connection, and community. Since being formally welcomed into the United Church in 2020, we have been intentional about being connected to the work of our national denomination, as well as opportunities to serve in our province and community.
With this in mind, one late spring day in 2025, the United Church’s centennial year, a fellow congregant and I ventured on a two-hour road trip. Our destination: Pilgrim United Church, Edmonton.
We sought to connect with Rev. Dr. Paul Walfall, and to experience the exhibition Here from the Beginning, which was on its tour as part of the many celebrations planned for the centennial. We knew Rev. Paul had dedicated countless hours of research to this, and curiosity encouraged us to learn more.
We were greeted by a series of tall, compelling bilingual banners illustrating the rich history and contributions of Black people in the United Church. Archival and present-day photographs and text captured the often-overlooked resilience, leadership, and deep involvement of Black communities in the church, dating even prior to our denomination's official founding in 1925.
What we learned that day prompted much reflection, as well as curiosity about a small community called Breton (originally Keystone) 50 kilometres southeast of our home of Drayton Valley.
Keystone was founded in the early 1900s by several Black families who ventured north to Canada from Oklahoma and Kansas, seeking opportunity and freedom. We had a bit of basic knowledge about the time, as several folks we knew were direct descendants of those pioneer families.
We were aware that the Breton Museum planned a special event annually to celebrate Black History Month. After talking to the curator, we learned the museum housed significant memorabilia from the early years of the community, which was shared along with stories of those early years in the exhibition The Ladder of Time: A History of Breton and District.
It was exciting to learn that the United Church there first set out roots in 1927, and celebrated years of service before closing in 1994. Armed with this basic information, we called Rev. Walfall to see if he was interested in pursuing learning more about the Black families who contributed to the work of the Breton United Church. Since Paul is originally from Jamaica, we knew the history of Keystone and Breton would both be new to him.
We engaged in more detective work.... phone calls, face-to-face conversations, further discussions with the museum staff and with descendants of community members. We looked forward to trips to the library to immerse ourselves in the fascinating history of this community.
One name kept being raised in the conversations we had: Mrs. Gwen Hooks.
Born in 1920 to parents who arrived in Keystone from the southern United States, Gwen was a highly respected teacher. She contributed her time and talents for many years to two schools in the area, as well as her community and United Church. She wrote poems and books with a focus on the stories of Keystone, and the early days of Breton. One of her published works was titled The Keystone Legacy: Recollections of a Black Settler. Gwen also wrote a poem to honor the many years of ministry provided by the Breton United Church from 1923 to 1994.
With the help of a local resident, Rev. Paul reached out to Gwen’s adult children, now living in the Edmonton area, to seek both their input and their permission to create a banner honoring the life and legacy of Gwen. Living Spirit United Church was proud to offer funds for one banner, and Northern Spirit Regional Council captured the essence of Keystone in another. We were proud to have the two banners added to the Here From the Beginning exhibition, now touring to other communities of faith.
We give thanks for the lives of dedication and faithfulness lived by people like Gwen and many others from Keystone and Breton.
— Dianne Nikiforuk is Council Chair at Living Spirit United Church, a rural community of faith located in Drayton Valley, Alberta.
The views contained within these blogs are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of The United Church of Canada.