The story of Charles Daniels is a powerful reminder that the fight for civil rights has deep roots here in Calgary.
On February 3, 1914, Charles Daniels - a Black Calgarian and CPR employee - arrived at the Sherman Grand Theatre (now The GRAND) with orchestra-level seats he had purchased for a performance of King Lear. Theatre management blocked his entry and insisted he accept seats in the segregated balcony. Daniels refused and was turned away.
Within days, he retained a lawyer and filed a lawsuit seeking $1,000 in damages, launching one of Alberta’s earliest documented civil-rights cases.
The final ruling was never recorded, but what remains unmistakable is Daniels’ courage. His refusal was about far more than a seat - it was a bold assertion of dignity, visibility, and the rights of Black Calgarians. His actions remain both historically significant and urgently relevant today.
By sharing his story, this event, hosted on the same date 113 years later, bridges past and present - honouring Daniels, amplifying Black voices, and reinforcing the ongoing commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice in Calgary’s cultural spaces.
His refusal to quietly accept that injustice led to one of Canada’s earliest human rights challenges, confronting systemic racism more than a century ago.
A Seat Once Denied. A Place Now Permanent.
On February 3, 2026, The GRAND unveiled a permanent commemorative installation ensuring that Charles Daniels’ story is never forgotten — and never repeated.
His place is here.
And now, it is forever reserved.
The Commemorative Seat - Row H, Seat 3
Designed by Calgary-based artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders, the commemorative seat in H3 transforms a single chair into a layered work of remembrance and resilience.
Each element carries meaning:
Alberta Wild Roses
Drawn at the base of the chair, Alberta’s wild rose symbolizes resilience. Though delicate in appearance, the flower endures the province’s harsh climate, reflecting the quiet strength required to persist and flourish against adversity.Pine Motifs
Cascading up the backrest, pine branches evoke Alberta’s mountain landscapes and enduring forests. They suggest continuity and rootedness in place, a horizon Daniels himself may have admired.Material & Craft
Textiles are central to Saunders’ artistic practice. Through weaving, singular threads are brought together to form a unified whole. In this way, the chair becomes a symbol of collective remembrance.
This is more than a seat.
It is a restoration of dignity.
The Original 1912 Chair Installation
If you enter The GRAND, you’ll notice an original 1912 theatre chair positioned at the entrance to the Flanagan Theatre.
Once simply a historic artifact, it now stands as a permanent tribute to Charles Daniels.
Surrounding the chair:
The Hat
A historically accurate homburg/fedora style, commonly worn by Black men of Daniels’ era — restoring individuality and presence.The Gloves
Goat-skin fleece gloves, chosen for warmth and elegance — reflecting the dignity Daniels would have carried into the theatre on a winter evening.The Alberta Roses
Echoing Saunders’ design and the tradition of “saving a seat,” symbolizing remembrance and belonging.The Plaque
Installed permanently in our lobby, ensuring every visitor encounters his story.
Kicking Up a Fuss
Director: Cheryl Foggo, Producer: Holly Dupej, Associate Producer: Bashir Mohamed,
Funded by: TELUS STORYHIVE
The Charles Daniels Committee
The GRAND established the Charles Daniels Committee to guide this work with integrity and long-term purpose. Led by creative visionaries Wakefield Brewster, Cheryl Foggo, and Lisa LaTouche, the Committee:
Advises The GRAND’s staff and board
Shapes the artistic and educational direction of this project
Ensures we honour Daniels’ legacy with insight, care, and community leadership
Helps build meaningful, lasting relationships with Black artists and audiences
Their vision is central to transforming this historic injustice into a legacy of remembrance, reconciliation, and artistic celebration.
Lisa LaTouche
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As a proud Canadian and New Yorker, Lisa’s credits are world renowned. She was an original cast member in Broadway’s Shuffle Along, choreographed by Savion Glover and Directed by George C. Wolfe, where she received both the Fred Astaire Award and the Actor’s Equity Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus.
Her TV credits include the 70th Annual Tony Awards and Amazon’s Original “Z, The beginning of everything”. Previous highlights have also included touring with the Savion Glover production, Stepz, and also performing with both New York's Off-Broadway and the North American touring casts of STOMP.
Since 2010 she has run her own performance company Tap Phonics and has been commissioned to present for such organizations such as The Brooklyn Museum, 92Y, Gibney Dance and Fall For Dance North. As an educator and Professor she has taught for PACE University, NYU, The School of Jacob’s Pillow, University of Calgary, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, Rosie’s Theater Kids and member of the creative council for the American Tap Dance Foundation. Her most recent endeavour has been writing and directing her debut film TRAX encompassing her journey back to Alberta while discovering important local black history.
Above all, her proudest achievement greatest inspiration, is the gift of being a mom.
Wakefield Brewster
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First stepping on stage as a poet and spoken word artist in 1999, Wakefield Brewster has become one of Canada’s most powerful and prolific spoken word artists.
Raised in Toronto by parents from Barbados, he has resided in Calgary since 2016, and has since been able to flourish as a poet. He has had several anthologies of his work published in addition to his two professional spoken word recordings.
In the Canadian arts community, Wakefield fills many roles; a few highlights include:
2019 - Appointed as the very First Resident Poet & Spoken Word Artist of The GRAND in Calgary, Alberta.
2021 - Joins The League Of Canadian Poets in order to become a more integral part of Canada’s Literary scene, while representing the standards of Diversity and Representation.
2021 - Joining the Board of Directors of the E.A.R. Society – Elephant Artist Relief Society, providing emergency relief funding and affordable Health Care for Artists.
Cheryl Foggo
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Cheryl Foggo of Calgary embraces various forms of narrative – film, literature, theatre and
journalism – to tell compelling stories of Prairie Black pioneers. By shining a light on this
rich and diverse history, she helps us understand the significance of contributions by Black
people to Canada. Her works have been seen across Canada and around the globe, and
include Heaven, John Ware Reclaimed, John Ware Reimagined and Pourin’ Down Rain: A
Black Woman Claims Her Place in the Canadian West. An inductee into the Alberta Order of
Excellence, she is a past recipient of multiple Provincial, National and International awards,
including the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Outstanding Artist Award. She received an
Honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Royal University and was awarded the Queen
Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023, and the King Charles the III Coronation Medal
in 2025. She has recently launched the short films For Caesar, Keystone Is and We Call Him
Sir Charles.
Why This MattersThe Charles Daniels Legacy Project is not only about remembering the past.
It is a declaration of who we are today.
At The GRAND, we believe:
Everyone belongs.
Every story matters.
History must be acknowledged — and learned from.
As Calgary’s oldest theatre, we are committed to being a space where dignity, equity, and artistic expression coexist.
This installation stands as both remembrance and promise.
An Evening of Remembrance & Celebration
On February 3, 2026, our community gathered at The GRAND Theatre to formally unveil the Charles Daniels commemorative seat and lobby installation.
The evening was not only an act of remembrance — it was a celebration of resilience, artistry, and belonging.
Through music, spoken word, and live performance, an extraordinary group of artists brought Daniels’ legacy into the present moment. Their work reflected the strength of Calgary’s Black community and the vibrant creative voices shaping our city today.
We are deeply grateful to the remarkable artists who shared their gifts that night and helped transform history into living expression.
The unveiling was more than a ceremony. It was a collective acknowledgment.
A reclaiming of space. A promise carried forward through art.
The Artists Behind the Evening
The event was moderated by Jenny Steele
A vibrant presence in Canadian media, with roots as an elite dancer and a career built from the ground-up, Jenny’s authenticity, resilience, and passion shine through in everything she does. You may recognize her from E!’s Celebrity Style Story, CBC, or Flames TV, but her biggest impact lies in her ability to connect, uplift, and inspire.
