Documentary 'More Than A Game' a powerful look at intersection of sports and race

It is undeniable that history is an important part of sports. Stories told through sports have the power to challenge uncomfortable truths about what Canada has been, and is instructive when deciding what direction anti-racism and inclusion initiatives should move within sports landscapes across the country.

I enjoy watching sports documentaries and have been quite moved by filmmakers using their art to tell stories from their communities and experiences that often go unreported. 

Black Life: Untold Stories is a series of eight episodes that tells stories of Black individuals and communities, and explores everything from slavery in Canada — yes, there was very much slavery in Canada — to migration, the justice system, and sport leagues and formidable athletes.

Recently I saw episode six called More Than A Game. It airs Wednesday, Nov. 29 and is available now on CBC Gem. It was directed by Thyrone Tommy and is insightful, powerful and shares the voices of some of the most prolific athletes Canada has ever known, as well as their descendants.

I don't normally take notes while watching films, but as I screened this one, I wrote down quotes, names and dates and it felt like it was a critical history lesson I never got to learn. I have certainly felt this way regarding Indigenous stories and why I never learned about residential schools and the generations of innocent children who were abused and ripped from their families in the name of colonization. Why did I never learn this in my public education? 

WATCH | 'I want audiences to experience what it's like to be a Black athlete':

In Canada, we often mistakenly see ourselves as the place where Black slaves escaped the terrors of slavery in the United States.

When Dr.