Authorization to Release Section 37 Funds for Henry “Box” Brown Heritage Plaque - by Councillor Chris Moise, seconded by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik

The City renames laneways frequently, but rarely provide context for residents as to who the person is and why they are being honored. A heritage plaque is a relatively inexpensive placemaking tool to promote our city's history and educate the general public about notable historical figures. Henry Brown, born into slavery in Louisa County, Virginia in 1815, earned the nickname "Box" after famously escaping by hiding in a wooden shipping crate marked "Philadelphia, PA: This Side Up With Care." After gaining freedom in Philadelphia, he became an abolitionist speaker, magician, hypnotist, singer, phrenologist, and ventriloquist. Brown would reenact his dramatic escape for audiences in Canada, England, and the United States. Brown listed his occupation in city records as "Lecturer," "Traveller," and "Professor of Animal Magnetism." In 1886, he moved to Toronto with his family, where they participated in community events like a benefit concert at St. Lawrence Hall. In his later years, Brown continued to perform around Canada, spending some of his final years in a Corktown house on Bright Street near the laneway bearing his name now. He died in 1897 and is buried in the Toronto Necropolis. The laneway that backs his former house was renamed as Henry "Box" Brown Lane on February 1, 2024.

Corktown Area of Special Identity, for the production and installation of a heritage plaque recognizing Henry "Box" Brown at Henry "Box" Brown Lane (Cost Centre: HG0001).