Down But Not Out

Community and the Upper Streets in Halifax, 1890-1914

David Hood

An examination of poverty and homelessness in Halifax at the turn of the twentieth century, this book challenges the notion that the poor are deviants who are responsible for their own misfortune. Historians have too often accepted this characterization of poverty without question and, in so doing, have allowed for its perpetuation into current discourse. Through an exploration of public records and the stories of real people, David Hood breathes life into Halifax’s sordid past — and reveals the humanity and complexity of the poor. They were not ‘deviants’ in trouble with the law or ‘cheats’ living on government handouts, but were rather people trying to make ends meet under difficult circumstances. This book provokes readers to rethink accepted notions of poverty and homelessness and, in so doing opens the possibility for recognition and empathy.

Contents

Poverty and Destitution • Blurred Lines Between Rough and Respectable • Profile of a Community • Conceptions of an Underclass • Looking Forward through the Past • Appendices • Select Bibliography • Index

About the Author

David Hood grew up just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1977, he left high school to join the Canadian Navy. After serving four years on the HMCS Onondaga Submarine, he left the Navy and entered Mount Saint Vincent University, where he completed a BA in political science. Since then he has earned four additional degrees, including a doctoral degree in History from Carleton in 2008. Over the past twenty years he has worked within the fields of education and social work and has lived in Halifax, Ottawa, Hong Kong, San Salvador and Kuala Lumpur. His latest book, Down But Not Out, is largely inspired by his work with the homeless in Halifax between 1993 and 2000.

Excerpt

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