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One family’s story of racism, redemption, and the legacy of the No. 2 Black Construction Battalion.
From an early age, Lance B. Dixon had heard about his grandfather George Dixon, one of six hundred men who served in the only Black battalion in Canadian history — the No. 2 Construction Battalion of the First World War. Sadly, his knowledge about George’s war experiences stopped there. In fact, much of his life remained a mystery. It has been left to Lance’s father, Blair Dixon (also a veteran), to tell their story while reliving the shame they were taught to feel about being Black bodies in “a white man’s world.”
In A Footnote to Freedom, through intimate conversations with his father, Dixon grapples with the effects of racism across three generations. He also brings to light the painful irony of the Black battalion’s struggle: that these men had to fight their own country to fight for the freedom of others in a distant land. This is the tale of his grandfather’s redemption and the legacy he leaves behind.
From an early age, Lance B. Dixon had heard about his grandfather George Dixon, one of six hundred men who served in the only Black battalion in Canadian history — the No. 2 Construction Battalion of the First World War. Sadly, his knowledge about George’s war experiences stopped there. In fact, much of his life remained a mystery. It has been left to Lance’s father, Blair Dixon (also a veteran), to tell their story while reliving the shame they were taught to feel about being Black bodies in “a white man’s world.”
In A Footnote to Freedom, through intimate conversations with his father, Dixon grapples with the effects of racism across three generations. He also brings to light the painful irony of the Black battalion’s struggle: that these men had to fight their own country to fight for the freedom of others in a distant land. This is the tale of his grandfather’s redemption and the legacy he leaves behind.
Price: $19.99
Pages: 216
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Imprint: Dundurn Press
Publication Date:
17 March 2026
Trim Size: 7.00 X 5.00 in
ISBN: 9781459756977
Format: Paperback
BISACs:
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / African American & Black, Memoirs, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military, HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War I, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Cultural & Regional
Lance takes us on a captivating and emotional journey of self-discovery and reveals the importance of learning one’s family roots.
A wonderfully told story of justice and recognition.
A wonderfully told story of justice and recognition.
Lance B. Dixon is an educator for racial justice within the publicly funded Catholic school board in Alberta. His experience as a biracial boy in Detroit during the 1970s shaped his journey towards racial reconciliation, which has taken him to South Africa, Israel, and across North America. He lives in Calgary.
- Preface
- Introduction: Reckoning with Race
- 1. Life at the End of Campbell Road
- 2. The Feeling of Freedom
- 3. In Search of Home
- 4. Black in Indiantown
- 5. Band of Brothers
- 6. The Will to Fight
- 7. The Silent War
- 8. Life as a Footnote
- 9. A Father's Confession
- 10. One Hundred Years
- Conclusion: A Future for My People